Abstract:
A system and method are disclosed for automatically converting dates and times in electronic text messages to the local dates and times of the message recipients. For example, when a text message is sent to an intended recipient, a messaging server can recognize date and time strings in the message text string, if any. The server can parse the date/time information into Coordinated Universal Time (“UTC”) form. The server also receives locale and time zone information from the intended recipient&#39;s client application, and can send this information to the originating client application. The originating client application can use this locale and time zone information to convert the UTC date/time information from the message string, if any, to the localized date and time of the message recipient. The localized date/time information is inserted into the message string, and the resulting message is forwarded to the recipient. As an option, the original message string may also be conveyed to the recipient for verification purposes.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Technical Field  
         [0002]     The present invention is directed to a system and method for automatic conversion of dates and times for messaging applications. More specifically, the present invention is directed to the conversion of dates and times in text messages to the local dates and times of the message recipients.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     Undoubtedly, the Internet has substantially changed the way people communicate. For example, e-mail has replaced letters and telephone calls as the preferred method of correspondence for many people around the world. In fact, billions of e-mail messages are sent out each day.  
         [0005]     Communicating by e-mail is simply not fast enough for many of us. For example, someone sending an e-mail message does not know if an intended recipient is on-line at any particular time. Also, the processes of sending, reading and replying to e-mail messages entail certain steps that take up time. Consequently, instant messaging is becoming increasingly popular.  
         [0006]     Instant messaging is a new form of electronic text messaging service that allows users to correspond with each other in real-time. Typically, a user maintains a list of contacts or a “buddy list”. The user can send instant messages to anyone on the list, as long as that person is on-line. A user types a message into a dialog box. The instant messaging system sends the message instantly to be read by the recipient. Sending the message opens a window where the originator and recipient can then type in messages that both can see. Thus, a significant advantage of instant messaging is that it allows people in different locales to use the Internet to “talk” to one another without telephones.  
         [0007]     On the other hand, a significant drawback of existing instant messaging systems (as well as conventional e-mail messaging systems) is that if dates and times are included in the messages, users in different time zones and locales can interpret these dates and times differently. For example, assume that one instant messaging user is located in the U.S. Central Standard Time Zone, and a second user is located in the U.S. Eastern Standard Time Zone. If the user in the Central Time Zone types the message “I&#39;ll check back with you today at 4:00 PM,” the user in the Eastern Time Zone can interpret the message to read “I&#39;ll check back with you today at 4:00 PM” Eastern Standard Time. Obviously, this interpretation is wrong. Typically, if one of the users realizes that the given time may be misinterpreted, then a series of additional messages usually follow to clear up the misunderstanding. Otherwise, the users may fail to communicate with each other at the appointed time.  
         [0008]     Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for automatically converting dates and times in electronic text messages to the local dates and times of the message recipients.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention provides a system and method for automatically converting dates and times in electronic text messages to the local dates and times of the message recipients. For a preferred embodiment, when a text message is sent to an intended recipient, a messaging server can recognize date and time strings in the message text string, if any. The server can parse the date/time information into Coordinated Universal Time (“UTC”) form. The server also receives locale and time zone information from the intended recipient&#39;s client application, and can send this information to the originating client application. The originating client application can use this locale and time zone information to convert the UTC date/time from the message string, if any, to the localized date and time of the message recipient. The localized date/time information is inserted into the message string, and the resulting message is forwarded to the recipient. As an option, the original message string may also be conveyed to the recipient for verification purposes.  
         [0010]     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in, or will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of, the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     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:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial representation of a network of data processing systems in which the present invention may be implemented;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a data processing system that may be implemented as a server in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart outlining an exemplary operation of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]     With reference now to the figures,  FIG. 1  depicts a pictorial representation of a network of data processing systems in which the present invention may be implemented. As such, network data processing system  100  is a network of computers in which the present invention may be implemented. Network data processing system  100  includes a network  102 , which is the medium used to provide communications links between various devices and computers connected together within network data processing system  100 . Network  102  may include connections, such as wire, wireless communication links, or fiber optic cables.  
         [0017]     In the depicted example, client  104  is connected to server  106 , which in turn, is connected to network  102 . In addition, client  110  is connected to server  108 , which in turn, is connected to network  102 . Also, for this example, client  112  is connected to network  102  along with storage unit  114 .  
         [0018]     Clients  104 ,  110  and  112  may be, for example, personal computers or network computers. In the depicted example, server  106  provides data, such as boot files, operating system images, and applications to client  104 . Server  108  provides data, such as boot files, operating system images, and applications to client  110 . As such, clients  104 ,  110  are clients to respective servers  106 ,  108 .  
         [0019]     Client  112  is connected to network  102 . However, this arrangement is shown for illustrative purposes only, and the type and arrangement of the connection between client  112  and network  102  is not intended as an architectural limitation for the present invention. For example, client  112  may be connected to network  102  (and also to one of the servers  106 ,  108 ) via a wireless communication link, such as, for example, a radiotelephone communication link, cellular communication link, satellite communication link, etc. As such, client  112  may represent a wireless data processing device, such as, for example, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), wireless text-messaging device, Wireless Fidelity (“Wi-Fi”) device, or cellular radiotelephone. In any event, network data processing system  100  may include additional servers, clients, and other devices not shown.  
         [0020]     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it may be assumed for illustrative purposes that client  104  is located within a first time zone (e.g., U.S. Central Standard Time Zone)  116  as denoted by the dashed lines shown. Also, it may be assumed that client  110  is located within a second time zone (e.g., U.S. Eastern Standard Time Zone)  118  as denoted by the dashed lines shown. Also, it may be assumed that client  112  may be located within one of first time zone  116 , second time zone  118 , or a third time zone (not shown). As such, the specific locations and time zones for clients  104 ,  110  and  112  described herein are provided for illustrative purposes only and not intended as an architectural limitation for the present invention.  
         [0021]     In the depicted example, network data processing system  100  is the Internet, with network  102  representing a worldwide collection of networks and gateways that use the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite of protocols to communicate with one another. At the heart of the Internet is a backbone of high-speed data communication lines between major nodes or host computers, consisting of thousands of commercial, government, educational and other computer systems that route data and messages. Of course, network data processing system  100  also may be implemented as a number of different types of networks, such as for example, an intranet, Local Area Network (LAN), or Wide Area Network (WAN). As such,  FIG. 1  is intended as an example, and not as an architectural limitation for the present invention.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram of a data processing system that may be implemented as a server, such as server  106  or server  108  in  FIG. 1 , is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Data processing system  200  may be a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) system including a plurality of processors  202  and  204  connected to system bus  206 . Alternatively, a single processor system may be employed. Also connected to system bus  206  is memory controller/cache  208 , which provides an interface to local memory  209 . I/O bus bridge  210  is connected to system bus  206  and provides an interface to I/O bus  212 . Memory controller/cache  208  and I/O bus bridge  210  may be integrated as depicted.  
         [0023]     Peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus bridge  214  connected to I/O bus  212  provides an interface to PCI local bus  216 . A number of modems may be connected to PCI local bus  216 . Typical PCI bus implementations will support four PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors. Communications links to clients  104 ,  110  in  FIG. 1  may be provided through modem  218  and network adapter  220  connected to PCI local bus  216  through add-in boards.  
         [0024]     Additional PCI bus bridges  222  and  224  provide interfaces for additional PCI local buses  226  and  228 , from which additional modems or network adapters may be supported. In this manner, data processing system  200  allows connections to multiple network computers. A memory-mapped graphics adapter  230  and hard disk  232  may also be connected to I/O bus  212  as depicted, either directly or indirectly.  
         [0025]     Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware depicted in  FIG. 2  may vary. For example, other peripheral devices, such as optical disk drives and the like, also may be used in addition to or in place of the hardware depicted. The depicted example is not meant to imply architectural limitations with respect to the present invention.  
         [0026]     The data processing system depicted in  FIG. 2  may be, for example, an IBM eServer pseries system, a product of International Business Machines Corporation in Armonk, N.Y., running the Advanced Interactive Executive (AIX) operating system or LINUX operating system.  
         [0027]     With reference now to  FIG. 3 , a block diagram illustrating a data processing system is depicted in which the present invention may be implemented. Data processing system  300  is an example of a client computer, such as client  104 ,  110  or  112  in  FIG. 1 . Data processing system  300  employs a PCI local bus architecture. Although the depicted example employs a PCI bus, other bus architectures such as Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) and Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) may be used. Processor  302  and main memory  304  are connected to PCI local bus  306  through PCI bridge  308 . PCI bridge  308  also may include an integrated memory controller and cache memory for processor  302 . Additional connections to PCI local bus  306  may be made through direct component interconnection or through add-in boards. In the depicted example, LAN adapter  310 , Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) host bus adapter  312 , and expansion bus interface  314  are connected to PCI local bus  306  by direct component connection. In contrast, audio adapter  316 , graphics adapter  318 , and audio/video adapter  319  are connected to PCI local bus  306  by add-in boards inserted into expansion slots. Expansion bus interface  314  provides a connection for a keyboard and mouse adapter  320 , modem  322 , and additional memory  324 . SCSI host bus adapter  312  provides a connection for hard disk drive  326 , tape drive  328 , and CD-ROM drive  330 . Typical PCI local bus implementations will support three or four PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors.  
         [0028]     An operating system runs on processor  302  and is used to coordinate and provide control of various components within data processing system  300  in  FIG. 3 . The operating system may be a commercially available operating system, such as Windows XP, which is available from Microsoft Corporation. An object oriented programming system such as Java may run in conjunction with the operating system and provide calls to the operating system from Java programs or applications executing on data processing system  300 . “Java” is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Instructions for the operating system, the object-oriented programming system, and applications or programs are located on storage devices, such as hard disk drive  326 , and may be loaded into main memory  304  for execution by processor  302 .  
         [0029]     Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware in  FIG. 3  may vary depending on the implementation. Other internal hardware or peripheral devices, such as flash read-only memory (ROM), equivalent nonvolatile memory, or optical disk drives and the like, may be used in addition to or in place of the hardware depicted in  FIG. 3 . Also, the processes of the present invention may be applied to a multiprocessor data processing system.  
         [0030]     The depicted example in  FIG. 3  and above-described examples are not meant to imply architectural limitations. For example, data processing system  300  also may be a notebook computer or hand held computer in addition to taking the form of a PDA. Data processing system  300  also may be a kiosk or a Web appliance.  
         [0031]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a flowchart of a process for automatically converting dates and times in text messages to the local dates and times of the message recipients in a network of data processing systems is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The exemplary process illustrated in  FIG. 4  may be implemented by software executing in a data processing system, such as data processing system  200  in  FIG. 2  and/or data processing system  300  in  FIG. 3 . For example, exemplary process  400  illustrated in  FIG. 4  may be implemented in a client (e.g., client application associated with one or more of clients  104 ,  110 ,  112 ) and/or a server (e.g.,  106 ,  108 ) with a series of “Call” functions (or similar functions, instructions, commands, etc.) executed with a Java Application Program Interface (API). Alternatively, for example, process  400  may be implemented with a series of instructions (commands, etc.) executed with a Windows API, or other appropriate software application. Also, for this example, one or both of servers  106 ,  108  may be a messaging server (e.g., instant messaging server or e-mail messaging server).  
         [0032]     Process  400  begins by (originator) client  104  retrieving a message string from a text message intended for (recipient) client  110  (step  402 ). For this example, as mentioned above, it may be assumed that client  104  is located in a first time zone  116  (e.g., U.S. Central Time Zone) and client  110  is located in a second time zone  118  (e.g., U.S. Eastern Time Zone). Notably, proper interpretation of time information is a primary consideration for this particular example (e.g., for a two hour difference between time zones). However, proper interpretation of date information can become a more important consideration for greater distances between time zones.  
         [0033]     For example, there is a seventeen-hour difference in time zones between New York City and Tokyo. Therefore, a text message originating in New York City of “Let&#39;s get back together at 4:00 PM on Nov. 1, 2003” may cause a message recipient in Tokyo to mistakenly logon for messaging just prior to 4:00 PM on Nov. 1, 2003 Tokyo time, which is actually 11:00 PM on Oct. 31, 2003 U.S. Eastern Time. Nevertheless, process  400  can compensate for local differences in both dates and times.  
         [0034]     For this example, client  104  can retrieve date and time information, if any, from the message string with a Java Call function of DateFormat.parse( ). In response, a Java API (e.g., executed in client  104 ) parses the text from the message string to return a date (and/or time), if any, from the string (step  404 ). The returned date can be represented as a Date object or as the time in milliseconds since Jan. 1, 1970, 00:00:00 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). In any event, a returned Date object represents a specific instant of time, with millisecond precision. If no date or time information is parsed from the message string (e.g., the message did not include date or time information), process  400  can be terminated (step  406 ).  
         [0035]     If date and/or time information is returned from the message string (returning to step  404 ), client  104  can retrieve its current date, time, time zone and locale information (e.g., at that moment) with a set of Java Call functions (step  408 ). For example, client  104  can retrieve its current date and time with a Java Call function of Calendar.getInstance( ). Note at this point that retrieval of the current time and date may be an optional step for client  104 , but is not intended as a requirement or architectural limitation for the present invention. In response, the Java API in client  104  can return a Calendar object whose time fields have been initialized with the current date and time. Also, client  104  can retrieve its current locale information with a Call function of DateFormat.getDateInstance( ). In response, the Java API in client  104  can return a date formatter with the default formatting style (e.g., “LONG”) for the default locale (e.g., U.S.).  
         [0036]     Additionally, client  104  can retrieve its current time zone information with a Call function of DateFormat.getTimeZone( ). In response, the Java API in client  104  can return the time zone associated with the calendar of the DateFormat Class (e.g., time zone of client  104 ). For this example, client  104  then sends the original message string and the current date, time, time zone and locale information to an associated messaging server, such as, for example, server  106  (step  410 ).  
         [0037]     The messaging server (e.g., server  106 ) parses the date and/or time information from the original message string (step  412 ). For example, server  106  can parse the date and/or time information from the message string with a Call function of DateFormat.parse( ). In response, a Java API (e.g., executing in server  106 ) parses the text from the message string to return the date and/or time information from the string. Alternatively, depending upon the implementation preferred, originating client  104  may parse the date and/or time information from the original message string. As mentioned above, the returned date can be represented as a Date object or as the time in milliseconds since Jan. 1, 1970, 00:00:00 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). For this example, the returned time information is preferably represented in UTC (GMT) form.  
         [0038]     Returning again to step  404 , if date and/or time information is returned from the message string, (recipient) client  110  can retrieve its current time zone and locale information with a set of Java Call functions (step  414 ). For example, client  110  can retrieve its current locale information with a Call function of DateFormat.getDateInstance( ). In response, a Java API (e.g., in client  110 ) returns a date formatter with the default formatting style (e.g., “LONG”) for the default locale (e.g., U.S.). Additionally, client  110  can retrieve its current time zone information with a Call function of DateFormat.getTimeZone( ). In response, the Java API in client  110  returns the time zone associated with the calendar of the DateFormat Class (e.g., time zone for client  110 ). For this example, (recipient) client  110  then sends its current time zone and locale information to the messaging server (e.g., server  106 ) via server  108  and network  102  (step  416 ).  
         [0039]     Summarizing at this point in process  400 , messaging server  106  has received originating client&#39;s  104  current date, time, time zone and locale information, along with recipient client&#39;s  110  current time zone and locale information. Also, messaging server  106  has parsed the message string and retrieved the date and time information from the string. Messaging server  106  can then format the date and time information from the message string into recipient client&#39;s  110  localized form (step  418 ).  
         [0040]     For example, messaging server  106  can format the date and time information from the message string into the recipient client&#39;s  110  local form, by creating a date/time formatter associated with recipient client&#39;s  110  locale with a Call function of DateFormat.getDateTimeInstance(Locale currentLocale) and using the current locale information for recipient client  110 . In response, the Java API in messaging server  106  gets the date/time formatter with the default formatting date and time styles for the given locale. Messaging server  106  then sends the date/time formatter with the default formatting date and time styles for recipient client&#39;s  110  locale to originating client  104  (step  420 ).  
         [0041]     For this exemplary embodiment, client  104  can use the date/time formatter received from messaging server  106  to insert the date/time information (in recipient client&#39;s  110  localized format) into the original message string, and send the newly formatted string to messaging server  106  (step  422 ). For example, client  104  can insert the date/time information (in recipient client&#39;s  110  localized format) into the message string with a Call function of DateFormat.format( ). In response, the Java API in client  104  formats the results of the DateFormat.getDateTimeInstance(Locale currentLocale) call associated with recipient client&#39;s  110  locale, and creates a message string that includes the recipient client&#39;s  110  local date/time information. Client  104  then sends the newly created message string (also the original message string, if desired) to messaging server  106 .  
         [0042]     Messaging server  106  sends the newly created message string (including the recipient client&#39;s  110  localized date/time information) to recipient client  110  (step  424 ). Recipient client  110  receives client&#39;s  104  message with the included date/time information properly formatted for recipient client&#39;s  110  local time zone (step  426 ). Notably, it should be clear to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that process  400  also may be used to convert date/time information in a message originated by client  110  (or  112 , for example) and intended for client  104 , into the proper date/time format for client&#39;s  104  local time zone.  
         [0043]     It is important to note that while the present invention has been described in the context of a fully functioning data processing system, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processes of the present invention are capable of being distributed in the form of a computer readable medium of instructions and a variety of forms and that the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media actually used to carry out the distribution. Examples of computer readable media include recordable-type media, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a RAM, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and transmission-type media, such as digital and analog communications links, wired or wireless communications links using transmission forms, such as, for example, radio frequency and light wave transmissions. The computer readable media may take the form of coded formats that are decoded for actual use in a particular data processing system.  
         [0044]     The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.