Integration of e-mail with instant messaging services
View Patent ↗A system for instant communication in real time is described wherein it is determined if a user with a given e-mail address is available for on-line messaging. The system takes in a group of e-mail addresses and automatically looks for screen names that are available for instant messaging. Once a screen name is available for online communication, an ion appears next to the screen name. Instant messaging is achieved by pressing the icon. The screen names, the icons and the e-mail addresses all appear in the same window, thereby, integrating traditional e-mail addresses with instant messaging services making real time communication an effective tool.
1. A computer implementation method for instant communication, comprising the steps of:
receiving in a group of e-mail addresses of an electronic mail system;
making a request for a list of screen names from an instant messaging service, wherein said screen names of said instant messaging service associated with said e-mail addresses of said electronic mail system;
automatically verifying screen names that are available for real-time communication;
correlating said screen names to said e-mail addresses;
within said electronic mail system, establishing an icon next to said screen names available for real-time communication; and
within said electronic mail system, establishing instant messaging real-time communication by selecting said icon associated with said screen name.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of manually verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the steps of manually verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses that are available for real-time communication.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of making a list of said screen names associated with a particular e-mail address.
5. A computer implemented method for updating an email recipient of available screen names for instant messaging communication, comprising the steps of:
receiving in a group of user e-mail addresses;
making a request for a list of user screen names from an instant messaging service associated with said user e-mail addresses;
automatically verifying available user screen names that are available for real-time communication;
correlating said available user screen names to said user e-mail addresses;
making a list of said user e-mail addresses with their associated available user screen names;
updating said list periodically for establishing said real-time communication; and
establishing said instant messaging communication instantly by the email recipient pressing, within an electronic mail system, an icon associated with a user's screen name, said user's screen name associated with an e-mail address of said user e-mail addresses.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of manually verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses for communication at a later time.
7. A computer implemented method for instant communication, comprising the steps of:
receiving a group of e-mail addresses in an electronic mail system;
identifying screen names that are available for real-time instant message communication;
correlating said identified screen names to said e-mail addresses;
establishing icons, within said electronic mail system, next to said e-mail addresses correlated with said identified screen names available for real-time instant message communication; and
establishing said real-time communication responsive to selection of said icons associated with said screen names.
8. The method of claim 7 , identifying the step comprising automatically verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of making a list of said screen names associated with a particular e-mail address.
10. The method of claim 7 , identifying the steps comprising manually verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses that are available for real-time communication.
11. A computer implemented method for updating a recipient of available screen names for instant communication, comprising the steps of:
receiving in a group of e-mail addresses;
identifying screen names that are available for real-time communication;
correlating said identified screen names to said e-mail addresses;
making a list of e-mail addresses with their correlated screen names;
repeatedly updating said list of e-mail addresses and correlated screen names as to availability for real-time communication
displaying in an electronic mail system graphic window all of: said list of e-mail addresses, said correlated screen names, and an availability icon associated with each of said screen names; and
establishing said instant communication responsive to selection, in said electronic mail system graphic window, of an icon associated with a user's screen name.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of manually verifying screen names associated with said e-mail addresses for communication at a later time.