Patent ID: 8001184

Claim:
A computer implemented method for managing creation of new threads from existing conversation elements in an instant messaging session, comprising: establishing the instant messaging (IM) session at a computer including at least a first conversation element and a second conversation element for a first IM thread having a first IM thread identifier, the first IM thread identifier assigned to both the first and second conversation elements; displaying the first and second conversation elements consecutively in an IM reader window of a user interface of the computer; receiving a user input at the IM reader window indicating selection of the second conversation element for creation of a second IM thread within the IM session; responsive to receiving the user input, updating the second conversation element from the first IM thread identifier to a second IM thread identifier at the computer including mapping the second IM thread identifier to the second IM thread in an IM thread mapping file at the computer; and responsive to updating the second conversation element and without further user input, displaying the second conversation element in the IM reader window in the second IM thread, and removing the second conversation element from the first IM thread including visually removing the second conversation element from the first IM thread, where the second IM thread is visually distinguished from the first IM thread in the IM reader window.