IM Conversation Continuity Across SIP Sessions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Instant messaging (IM) systems using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) face challenges in maintaining conversations across multiple SIP sessions, as sessions expire, and there is no way to restart or continue IM conversations on different clients without losing message context.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a conversation identifier (ID) system that allows IM messages to be archived and retrieved, enabling the continuation of IM conversations across SIP sessions and allowing users to switch clients while maintaining message context, even after a long period of dormancy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If SIP session timeout feature is used to close stagnant sessions, then system resources are freed, but IM conversation continuity is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIM conversation continuityVSAvoidSIP session duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the IM conversation from the SIP session by introducing a conversation ID that independently identifies message groups. This allows the SIP session to be terminated while the conversation identity persists, enabling conversation continuity across multiple SIP sessions. The message archive further segments historical messages from active sessions, preserving them for later retrieval.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (conversation ID system with message archive) between the SIP session and the IM conversation. When a SIP session ends, the conversation ID allows retrieval of archived messages to reconstruct the conversation context, effectively mediating between session termination and conversation continuity requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If IM client is closed to stop IM session, then system resources are released, but conversation context is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveMessage contextVSAvoidClient switching capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a copy of the conversation context through the message archive, which stores historical IM messages. When switching clients or resuming after closure, the archived message copy is retrieved using the conversation ID, allowing reconstruction of the conversation context without requiring the original session or client state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Loss of information

If conversation history is stored in archive, then conversation continuity is enabled, but system storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveConversation historyVSAvoidArchive storage capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential conversation identification element (conversation ID) from the full message history. The archive stores complete messages for reference, but the conversation ID system allows continuation of conversations by identifying them without requiring all historical messages to be actively loaded in memory, reducing immediate storage and processing requirements while preserving full history for retrieval.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Productivity

If SIP session is terminated to free resources, then system performance improves, but IM conversation cannot be restarted

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveSystem resource efficiencyVSAvoidConversation restart capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by archiving messages and maintaining conversation IDs during the SIP session while it is active. This preparation ensures that when the session is terminated for resource efficiency, the conversation identity and historical messages are already preserved in the archive, enabling seamless restart capability without requiring the original session to remain active.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8914446B2IM continuation across SIP sessions and across clients for point-to-point and multi-user chat

Publication Date: 2014.12.16 ARLINGTON TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

A communication system can create a conversation identifier (ID) for a logical IM conversation. The conversation ID can identify messages that are associated with the same IM conversation. The associated IM messages can be stored in an archive for later use. When a SIP session ends but an IM conversation continues, a SIP server can rebuild the IM conversation with messages retrieved with the conversation ID. Further, an IM conversation can be restarted on a different IM client by retrieving messages from the archive associated with the previously established conversation ID. Thus, the conversation ID ensures that an IM conversation does not end due to system changes or reconfigurations in IM clients.