Patent Publication Number: US-2006020676-A1

Title: System and method for presenting a chat user name with multiple user service names

Description:
I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to chat systems.  
     II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      A variety of communication methods by the use of computer networks have been developed in recent years in accordance with the growth of the Internet. Such methods include chat systems, multi-user and real-time communication methods. Chat systems have widely replaced traditional telephones and electronic mail. A chat system, informally known as “Chat,” is a means through which typed conversation is sent from sender to recipient via a computer network, namely the Internet, almost instantly.  
      A client computer may be linked to a network through a server computer. Such a client computer running a software application allowing one user to chat with another user on the same network can be termed a “chat client.” “A virtual space” may be defined as the chat network created by the users chatting via chat clients and matching servers. A conversation forum, or channel, is created between the users chatting via the chat clients, also called chat partners. This conversation forum exists in the server and as chat partners converse in real time. Thus, a “chat system” is a communication method characterized by chat partners who share numerous virtual spaces.  
      The chat partner is identified by a user-chosen chat service name. As recognized herein, a chat partner may chat by means of multiple chat services and therefore can have multiple service names. Unfortunately, when a user wishes to send a chat message to another user having multiple chat services, the sender must determine which chat service to use to send the message, and/or determine which chat service the receiver is logged into.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A computer-implemented method includes correlating at least first and second user service names to a single user name. Each user service name is associated with a respective chat service. When the single user name is invoked, one of the chat services, preferably a “best” service, is invoked.  
      In non-limiting embodiments the chat service can be invoked by selecting the associated user service name when the single user name is invoked. The method may include determining which service has a best service based on respective service activities, and/or respective service securities, and/or respective qualities of service. When qualities of service are used, they may be selected from the group including latency, throughput, error rate, and link availability. If desired, an icon representing a best service can be displayed to a user.  
      In another aspect, a service includes determining a best chat service from among plural chat services accessed by a single user, and returning to the user an indication representing the best chat service.  
      In still another aspect, a system includes at least one chat user computer and plural chat services communicating with the chat user computer. Service selection means are provided for selecting one of the plural chat services to use to chat with another chat user.  
      In another aspect, a computer-implemented method includes correlating at least first and second user service names to a single user name, with each user service name being associated with a respective chat service. The method includes displaying a list including at least one user name and plural user service names associated with the user name.  
      The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a system for undertaking the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart of the logic for establishing multiple user service names for a single user name; and  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a screen display showing several user service names under a single user name.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a system is shown, generally designated  10 , that includes a first user computer  12  having one or more processors  14  receiving user input from an input device  16 , such as but not limited to one or more of a keyboard, mouse, keypad, voice recognition device, etc. The user computer  12  also has an output device  18  such as but not limited to one or more of a computer monitor, audio speaker, printer, computer, or computer network. The processor  14  of the user computer  12  executes computer software application programs such as Web browsers and chat software.  
      The first user computer  12  may communicate with a server  20  over a communication path  22  such as the Internet. In the embodiment shown, the server  20  is a chat server that includes one or more processors  24 . In turn, the chat server  20  can communicate with a second user computer  26  that has a processor  28 , input device  30 , and output device  32 .  
      It is to be understood that while only two user computers are shown, more user computers and more chat servers may be implemented in the present invention. The computers shown herein may be any suitable computers, e.g., personal computers, server computers, laptop computers, etc. It is to be further understood that at least portions of the inventive logic divulged herein may be executed by one or more of the processors shown in  FIG. 1 . Thus, the invention may be embodied as a computer-implemented method, a general purpose computer programmed to undertake the method, and a computer program product (i.e., an article of manufacture) such as a computer storage device that holds computer code such as but not limited to C++ or Java that embodies the present logic. The computer storage device may be a magnetic or optical disk in a disk drive, a floppy diskette, or solid state storage accessible by the associated processors in accordance with principles known in the art. The user computers  12 ,  26  may communicate with each other through the chat server  20  or may communicate directly with each other.  
      Now referring to  FIG. 2 , commencing at block  34  a DO loop is entered for each chat partner that has multiple chat services. The chat partner may have more than one service name, each being associated with a respective chat service. The chat partner may be given a single user name, seen in block  36 . This single user name is distinguished from the service name or service names. Moving to block  38 , if there is more than one service name, the multiple service names are listed under the single user name. Block  40  indicates that the list of service names is displayed with the single user name. When the “Chat” method of communication is used to communicate with a chat partner, the single user name is invoked, preferably invoking the chat service having the best service, shown in block  42 .  
      Determining which chat service has the best, or optimum, service can be based on respective service activities, e.g., which service the intended recipient is actually logged into. Or, determining which chat service has the best, or optimum, service can be based on respective service securities. For instance, if the intended recipient is logged in to more than one service, the service with the highest security can be selected. Yet again, the “best” service can be selected based on the respective qualities of service. To illustrate, the qualities of service can be selected from the group including latency, throughput, error rate, and link availability. Link availability may be, e.g., “available” or “not available”, link data throughput may be in bits or bytes per second, link error rate may be in terms of number of errors per unit data or unit time, and link latency may be in terms of average or peak time periods to convey a message or unit of data over the link.  
      Moving to block  44 , once the best chat service and the corresponding service name is selected, an appropriate icon can be displayed indicating the best chat service. Appropriate icons for the best service may include a happy, smiling face and the appropriate icons for the less than optimum services may include a sad, frowning face.  
      This is illustrated in  FIG. 3 , wherein a sample display that can be presented on the monitor  18  shown in  FIG. 1  includes a user name “Jim”  46 . The chat partner under the user name  46  may be called “Chat Partner Jim”. Next to “Chat Partner Jim&#39;s” user name  46 , the words “one service only”  48  are displayed, indicating that “Chat Partner Jim” is chatting using only one chat service and one respective service name. Additional single service chat partners may likewise be displayed.  
      On the other hand, “Chat Partner Greg” is displayed under the user name Greg  50 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , “Chat Partner Greg” uses three chat services, each listed under the single user name Greg  50 . A first one  52  of “Chat Partner Greg&#39;s” chat services is displayed using the service name “Greg.Service 1 ”  52 . The service name “Greg.Service 1 ” indicates one of three chat services used by “Chat Partner Greg”. Also, the service corresponding to the service name “Greg.Service 1 ” is indicated as being the best chat service in accordance with principles set forth above by an appropriate icon  54 , e.g., a happy, smiling face.  
      Additionally, two other chat services  56 ,  58  are listed by respective service names under the single user name “Greg”. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the other chat services listed, “Greg.Service 2 ” and “Greg.Service 3 ” are indicated to be the less than optimum chat services by the appropriate icons  60 ,  62 , e.g., sad, frowning faces.  
      It is to be understood that the present invention may be provided as a service. For instance, a service provider may operate the chat server  20 , and the server  20  can determine which chat service of a user is currently the “best” service as indicated above, and provide this information to the chat clients. Or, the determination can be made by each client computer. Also, a default “best” service can be defined for a user having multiple services. For instance, the default “best” service may dictate that chat with a particular user is always over the service having the highest security, when that service is available to chat with the associated user.  
      While the particular SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRESENTING A CHAT USER NAME WITH MULTIPLE USER SERVICE NAMES as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described objects of the invention, it is to be understood that it is the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention and is thus representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention, that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more”. It is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. Absent express definitions herein, claim terms are to be given all ordinary and accustomed meanings that are not irreconcilable with the present specification and file history.