System and method for processing instant messages
Various aspects relate to using structured messages within one or more systems that implement instant messaging function in a distributed computing environment. In particular, structured information may be encoded and embedded in unstructured instant messages and communicated among one or more computer systems, networks, applications or other entities. In one aspect, instant messaging may be leveraged as middleware for application integration. Other aspects relate to using structured message information to perform functions in a distributed instant messaging system. For example, structured message information may be used to control the display of instant message information to a user, or may be used to control how the instant message information is distributed, processed, or otherwise handled by a receiving system, application or process. Other aspects relate to an interface for displaying information relating to a number of instant messaging conversations to a user. Further, aspects relate to using instant messaging in a trading environment.
1. In a distributed computer system, a method for processing instant message information, the method comprising acts of:
receiving at least one instant message originated at a client computer, the at least one message having a plurality of unstructured free text strings identifying at least one securities trading command;
processing the unstructured free text strings and identifying at least one attribute within the plurality of unstructured free text strings;
modifying the received at least one instant message to include structured content including the at least one identified attribute, the structured content identifying the at least one securities trading command; and
forwarding the modified at least one instant message to a destination system to be executed,
wherein the act of modifying includes an act of inserting a code that describes a format of the unstructured free text strings; and
wherein the act of inserting the code that describes a format of the unstructured free text strings includes an act of inserting the code in an area of the at least one instant message that is not visible to a receiving instant message application program.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the code includes one or more codes that identify the locations of one or more elements residing within the unstructured free text strings.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising an act of modifying the unstructured free text strings responsive to the act of processing the unstructured free text strings.
4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising an act of formatting the unstructured free text strings responsive to the act of processing the unstructured free text strings.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising an act of parsing the unstructured free text strings.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the act of parsing the unstructured free text strings is performed by an instant message processor.
7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising an act of parsing the unstructured free text strings included in a body of the at least one instant message.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the act of forwarding further comprises an act of sending the at least one instant message to an instant messaging network.
9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising an act of receiving, at a client computer system, the modified at least one instant message, and displaying information contained in the modified at least one instant message in a manner responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising an act of displaying information contained in the modified at least one instant message in a message grid responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising an act of forwarding the modified at least one instant message to a destination responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising acts of:
receiving, at the destination, a plurality of instant messages from a plurality of users;
identifying a plurality of conversations, each of which is associated with at least one of the plurality of users; and
displaying an interface that shows a user of the client computer information relating to one of the plurality of conversations.
13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising an act of displaying, in respective rows of a message grid, the information relating to the plurality of conversations.
14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising an act of displaying, responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute, at least one portion of the plurality of unstructured free text strings in a particular row of the message grid associated with a respective conversation.
15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising an act of displaying at least one portion of the plurality of unstructured free text strings in a display responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising an act of determining a formatting of the plurality of unstructured free text strings in the display responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the distributed computer system includes a securities trading system, and wherein the securities trading system is responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer system, performs a method according to claim 1 .
19. A computer system including an instant message processor, the processor comprising:
means for receiving at least one instant message originated at a client computer, the at least one message having a plurality of unstructured free text strings identifying at least one securities trading command;
means for processing the unstructured free text strings and identifying at least one attribute within the plurality of unstructured free text strings;
means for modifying the received at least one instant message to include structured content including the at least one identified attribute, the structured content identifying the at least one securities trading command; and
means for forwarding the modified at least one instant message to a destination system to be executed,
wherein means for modifying includes means for inserting a code that describes a format of the unstructured free text strings; and
wherein the means for inserting the code that describes a format of the unstructured free text strings includes means for inserting the code in an area of the at least one instant message that is not visible to a receiving instant message application program.
20. The computer system according to claim 19 , wherein the code includes one or more codes that identify the locations of one or more elements residing within the unstructured free text strings.
21. The computer system according to claim 19 , further comprising means for modifying the unstructured free text strings responsive to the act of processing the unstructured free text strings.
22. The computer system according to claim 21 , further comprising means for formatting the unstructured free text strings responsive to the act of processing the unstructured free text strings.
23. The computer system according to claim 21 , further comprising means for parsing the unstructured free text strings included in a body of the at least one instant message.
24. The computer system according to claim 19 , further comprising means for parsing the unstructured free text strings.
25. The computer system according to claim 24 , wherein the act of parsing the unstructured free text strings is performed by an instant message processor.
26. The computer system according to claim 19 , wherein the act of forwarding further comprises means for sending the at least one instant message to an instant messaging network.
27. The computer system according to claim 19 , further comprising means for receiving, at a client computer system, the modified at least one instant message, and displaying information contained in the modified at least one instant message in a manner responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
28. The computer system according to claim 27 , further comprising means for displaying information contained in the modified at least one instant message in a message grid responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
29. The computer system according to claim 19 , further comprising means for forwarding the modified at least one instant message to a destination responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
30. The computer system according to claim 19 , further comprising acts of:
receiving, at the destination, a plurality of instant messages from a plurality of users;
identifying a plurality of conversations, each of which is associated with at least one of the plurality of users; and
displaying an interface that shows a user of the client computer information relating to the plurality of conversations.
31. The computer system according to claim 30 , further comprising means for displaying, in respective rows of a message grid, the information relating to the plurality of conversations.
32. The computer system according to claim 31 , further comprising means for displaying, responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute, at least one portion of the plurality of unstructured free text strings in a particular row of the message grid associated with a respective conversation.
33. The computer system according to claim 19 , further comprising means for displaying at least one portion of the plurality of unstructured free text strings in a display responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
34. The computer system according to claim 33 , further comprising means for determining a formatting of the plurality of unstructured free text strings in the display responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
35. The computer system according to claim 19 , wherein the distributed computer system includes a securities trading system, and wherein the securities trading system is responsive to the structured content including the at least one identified attribute.
36. A computer system comprising:
an instant message processor, the processor further comprising:
a storage entity adapted to store a plurality of received instant messages, each one of the plurality of received instant messages including a plurality of unstructured free text strings and at least one of the plurality of unstructured free text strings identifying at least one securities trading command;
a parser adapted to parse the plurality of unstructured free text strings of at least one received instant message; and
a formatter adapted to format the at least one received instant message according to at least one formatting rule and create at least one modified instant message,
wherein the parser is adapted to identify at least one attribute within the plurality of unstructured free text strings;
wherein the formatter is adapted to include content including the at least one identified attribute, the content identifying the at least one securities trading command;
wherein the formatter is adapted to insert a code into the at least one modified instant message; and
wherein the code is located in an area of the at least one instant message that is not visible to a receiving instant message application program.
37. The computer system according to claim 36 , wherein the code includes one or more codes that identify the location of one or more elements residing within the plurality of unstructured free text strings.