Instant Messaging User Management via Expiration Criteria
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Solution Overview
Problem
Instant messaging systems face inefficiencies due to managing presence information for a large number of users who infrequently engage in IM sessions, leading to unproductive resource usage and user dissatisfaction with current deletion-based solutions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing techniques to mark and manage user entries in the address book as 'expired' based on user-defined criteria, such as inactivity periods, allowing for the omission of expired users from presence determination and providing distinct visual indicators, without actual deletion, thus improving system efficiency and user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the IM server manages presence functions for all users in the address book, then complete presence information is maintained, but system resources are wasted on inactive users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the address book into active and inactive user groups by implementing an expiration date mechanism. The IM server selectively manages presence functions only for active users while excluding inactive users, thereby maintaining presence information completeness for relevant users while reducing system resource waste on inactive contacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by having the IM server perform presence management functions for only a subset of users (those without expired dates) rather than all users in the address book. This selective approach maintains necessary presence information while avoiding excessive resource consumption on inactive users.
2Loss of energy
If users delete inactive contacts from their address book, then system resources are reduced, but users must manually re-enter information when needing to contact deleted users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an expiration date mechanism that automatically marks user contacts as inactive after a specified period without actual deletion. This allows the system to treat inactive contacts as temporary/disposable entries that consume minimal resources while remaining recoverable, eliminating the need for users to manually re-enter information when contacts become active again.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables automatic discarding of inactive user entries through expiration dates while maintaining the capability to recover these entries when needed. Users can selectively reactivate expired contacts without manual re-entry, as the system preserves the ability to restore these discarded entries when they become relevant again.
3Reliability
If the IM server manages presence for a large address book, then all user contacts are tracked, but efficiency of the IM server is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the user base into active and inactive categories using expiration dates, allowing the IM server to process presence information selectively. This segmentation maintains complete contact tracking for active users while excluding inactive users from resource-intensive presence management operations, thereby preserving contact tracking completeness for relevant users while improving overall server efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by having the IM server perform presence management only for users whose expiration dates have not been reached. This selective approach maintains contact tracking for all users in the address book while avoiding excessive processing of inactive users, thus preserving tracking completeness while enhancing server productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for improving management of user information in instant messaging systems. Expiration criteria are defined, whereby one or more users or user groups may be considered as having “expired” from consideration by instant messaging functions such as presence determination. In particular, instant messaging activity is preferably used as an expiration criterion. Absence of inbound or outbound messages for a specified amount of time (or since a particular date/time) can therefore be used as a trigger for treating a user or group of users as expired. As a result, efficiency of an instant messaging system is improved by omitting the expired users and groups from subsequent management operations. Optionally, an expired user or group may be revived upon occurrence of certain events (such as a newly-arriving instant message from, or a change in presence status of, the user or group). “On-demand” expiration and revival are preferably provided as well.