Instant Messaging Client Location Detection and Message Forwarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Instant messaging systems face challenges in maintaining user availability when users move away from their primary workstation, leading to lost messages and inconvenient re-logging processes, especially when using remote devices with limited range and security concerns.
Innovation Solution
An instant messaging client apparatus that determines user availability and location, allowing seamless communication by forwarding messages to remote devices via wireless communication, maintaining presence status and caching messages for delivery when the user becomes available.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the user moves away from their primary workstation, then the user can work at different locations, but instant messaging availability is lost and messages may be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a portable device as an intermediary between the user and the instant messaging system. When the user moves from their primary workstation, the portable device acts as a mediator to receive and forward instant messages, ensuring continuous availability. The portable device communicates with nearby workstations via short-range wireless technology, bridging the gap between the user's new location and the IM network without requiring server-side logging or synchronization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an IM Client is used on a remote device, then the user can maintain IM availability at different locations, but the device range is limited and re-logging is required
Solution Approach 1:
The portable device is pre-configured with the user's instant messaging credentials and identity information before the user moves. When the user arrives at a new location, the device automatically connects to nearby workstations and joins existing chat sessions without requiring the user to re-login. This preliminary preparation eliminates the cumbersome re-logging process and enables seamless device switching.
3Reliability
If server side logging or synchronization is used, then IM information can be maintained on remote devices, but server storage resources are consumed and security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the message storage and synchronization functionality from the server and relocates it to the user's portable device. Instead of relying on server-side logging, the portable device locally stores instant messages and chat session information. This extraction eliminates the need for continuous server storage allocation and reduces security risks associated with centralized message storage, while maintaining full IM information continuity across different locations.
4Reliability
If server side logging or synchronization is used, then IM information can be maintained on remote devices, but security risks increase if the device is stolen or resold
Solution Approach 1:
The portable device is designed to autonomously manage its own security credentials and identity information without requiring continuous server authentication. The device stores encrypted IM data locally and automatically re-establishes chat sessions when connecting to new workstations. This self-service capability ensures that even if the device is stolen or resold, the attacker cannot easily access or synchronize IM information with the original user's account, significantly reducing security risks while maintaining information continuity.
Data Source
AI summary
An instant messaging client apparatus and method for use with a data processing system associated with a data processing network. The apparatus comprising: an input/output component for receiving from the data processing network a first instant message; a presence component for determining whether a user is locatable at the modified instant messaging client in order for the user to transmit a response to the received first instant message; a first location component for analyzing an information source associated with the user for determining a list of locations where the user is locatable for communication; a second location component for polling the list of locations to determine whether the user is present at a location identified on the list; and a communicator component for initiating a communication for sending the received first instant message to a remote device associated with the user at the identified location.