Patent ID: 7502831

Claim:
Method of sending and receiving categorized messages in an instant messaging environment, said method comprising: a sender sending an instant message to a receiver; said sender using a sender client; said receiver using a receiving client; said sender segmenting said instant message into multiple segments; said sender marking limits of said multiple segments; said sender assigning a first category from a list of predefined categories to a first segment among said multiple segments, by indicating start and end of said first segment for a given category selected from said list of predefined categories; said sender tagging said first segment with said first category from said list of predefined categories; said receiver identifying a layout, a view, and rules associated with said first category; said receiver displaying said first segment, based on said layout, said view, and said rules associated with said first category; if said first category is confidential category, then: hiding, obscuring, or collapsing said first segment, as display default; wherein a section appears in a window displaying a phrase indicating confidential information, informing that confidential data is permitted to be entered prior to sending; said receiver receiving said confidential data as pulled up into a hidden form: said receiver expanding said section to view contents; said receiver collapsing said section, after reading said contents: said receiver proceeding with chat session without displaying confidential data; wherein said receiver has an option to override said assignment of said first category by said sender; and in case said receiver exercises said option to override said assignment of said first category by said sender, changing said assignment to a second category.