Chat Session Availability via Local Time Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Participants in chat sessions are often misinformed about the availability of others due to their computers remaining online when the individuals are not available, leading to misunderstandings and missed work assignments, as servers incorrectly assume participants are available based on ping responses.
Innovation Solution
A computer system and method where the server sends the current local time and date of each participant to workstations, allowing participants to display this information graphically or alphanumerically, helping to determine if others are likely available for the chat session.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the server pings the client computer to determine availability, then the server can establish chat sessions with online participants, but the server incorrectly assumes participants are available even when they are not really available
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces local time information as an intermediary indicator to mediate between the server's ping-based availability detection and the participant's actual availability status. The server sends the participant's local time to other participants, who can then infer availability based on whether it is reasonable hours for that time zone, without directly monitoring the participant's actual status.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of the server directly determining availability through ping responses, the system inverts the approach by having participants infer availability indirectly through local time information. Rather than asking 'is the computer online?' the system asks 'is it reasonable hours for this participant based on their local time?'
2Productivity
If participants rely on computer online status to assess availability, then chat sessions can be established quickly, but misunderstandings occur when computers are online but participants are not available
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by providing local time information to participants before they attempt to communicate. This allows participants to assess availability in advance based on time zone considerations, preventing misunderstandings before they occur while maintaining quick session establishment.
3Reliability
If the server establishes chat sessions with all ping-responsive clients, then no chat messages are lost, but unavailable participants may be included leading to omissions in work assignments
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by providing local time information to all participants in the chat session. This feedback loop allows participants to continuously assess the availability status of others based on their local times, enabling them to adjust their communication expectations and avoid misunderstandings about who is actively monitoring the chat.
Data Source
AI summary
Computer system, method and program product for managing a chat session having a plurality of participants. A server sends to each participant in the chat session, a current local time of each other participant in the chat session. A workstation of each participant in the chat session displays an identity and current local time of each other participant in the chat session. The current local time of each other participant in the chat session can be represented by a graphical representation of the current local time of each other participant in the chat session. The server also sends to each participant in the chat session a current date of each other participant in the chat session. The workstation of each participant in the chat session displays the current date of each other participant in the chat session.