Enhancing collaboration in real-time group chat system and method

1. A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

maintaining, between a plurality of participating computing devices, a collaboration session that includes a group instant messaging session within an object, wherein the plurality of participating computing devices includes a host computing device and one or more non-host computing devices in the group instant messaging session;

generating a first sub-object of a plurality of sub-objects within the object, wherein the first sub-object is rendered on the host computing device and the one or more non-host computing devices, wherein the first sub-object includes a non-group instant messaging session message rendered on the host computing device and the one or more non-host computing devices, wherein the non-group instant messaging session is described by a configurable host banner, wherein the first sub-object rendered on the host computing device and the one or more non-host computing devices includes a summary of a plurality of messages from the group instant messaging session selected by the host computing device, wherein the first sub-object includes a last message sent by the host computing device, wherein the summary of the plurality of messages from the group instant messaging session selected by the host computing device is aggregated in an expandable list, wherein a last message selected by the host computing device from the plurality of messages is displayed in the first sub-object and the other selected messages are not displayed when the expandable list is collapsed;

generating, by a first non-host computing device of the one or more non-host computing devices, a second sub-object of the plurality of sub-objects within the object, wherein the second sub-object is rendered on the first non-host computing device and excluded from rendering on a remaining portion of the plurality of participating computing devices, wherein the second sub-object rendered on the first non-host computing device and excluded from rendering on the remaining portion of the plurality of participating computing devices includes a summary of a plurality of messages from the group instant messaging session selected by the first non-host computing device, wherein the summary of the plurality of messages from the group instant messaging session selected by the first non-host computing device is aggregated in an expandable list, wherein a last message selected by the first non-host computing device from the plurality of messages is displayed in the second sub-object and the other selected messages are not displayed when the expandable list is collapsed;

assigning permission to the host computing device to edit content in the first sub-object, wherein the content in the first sub-object is rendered on the host computing device and the one or more non-host computing devices, and wherein the non-host computing devices are precluded from editing the content in the first sub-object; and

delegating, by the host computing device, permission to at least one other computing device of the plurality of participating computing devices to one or more of the ability to remove one or more participants from the group instant messaging session and the ability to mute one or more participants from entering further instant messages.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the summary of the one or more messages from the group instant messaging session selected by the host computing device is aggregated in an expandable list.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising delegating, by the host computing device, permission to at least one other computing device of the plurality of participating computing devices to edit the content in the first sub-object.

4. A computing system including a processor and a memory configured to perform operations comprising:

maintaining, between a plurality of participating computing devices, a collaboration session that includes a group instant messaging session within an object, wherein the plurality of participating computing devices includes a host computing device and one or more non-host computing devices in the group instant messaging session;

generating a first sub-object of a plurality of sub-objects within the object, wherein the first sub-object is rendered on the host computing device and the one or more non-host computing devices, wherein the first sub-object includes a non-group instant messaging session message rendered on the host computing device and the one or more non-host computing devices, wherein the non-group instant messaging session is described by a configurable host banner, wherein the first sub-object rendered on the host computing device and the one or more non-host computing devices includes a summary of a plurality of messages from the group instant messaging session selected by the host computing device, wherein the first sub-object includes a last message sent by the host computing device, wherein the summary of the plurality of messages from the group instant messaging session selected by the host computing device is aggregated in an expandable list, wherein a last message selected by the host computing device from the plurality of messages is displayed in the first sub-object and the other selected messages are not displayed when the expandable list is collapsed;

generating, by a first non-host computing device of the one or more non-host computing devices, a second sub-object of the plurality of sub-objects within the object, wherein the second sub-object is rendered on the first non-host computing device and excluded from rendering on a remaining portion of the plurality of participating computing devices, wherein the second sub-object rendered on the first non-host computing device and excluded from rendering on the remaining portion of the plurality of participating computing devices includes a summary a plurality of messages from the group instant messaging session selected by the first non-host computing device, wherein the summary of the plurality of messages from the group instant messaging session selected by the first non-host computing device is aggregated in an expandable list, wherein a last message selected by the first non-host computing device from the plurality of messages is displayed in the second sub-object when the expandable list is collapsed;

assigning permission to the host computing device to edit content in the first sub-object, wherein the content in the first sub-object is rendered on the host computing device and the one or more non-host computing devices, and wherein the non-host computing devices are precluded from editing the content in the first sub-object; and

delegating, by the host computing device, permission to at least one other computing device of the plurality of participating computing devices to one or more of the ability to remove one or more participants from the group instant messaging session and the ability to mute one or more participants from entering further instant messages.

5. The computing system of claim 4 wherein the summary of the one or more messages from the group instant messaging session selected by the host computing device is aggregated in an expandable list.

6. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the first sub-object includes one or more of a last participant to join the group instant messaging session, and a last participant to leave the group instant messaging session.

7. The computing system of claim 4 wherein the second sub-object includes one or more of a last message sent by the host computing device, a last participant to join the group instant messaging session, and a last participant to leave the group instant messaging session.

8. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the second sub-object includes one or more of a last message sent by the first non-host computing device, a last participant to join the group instant messaging session, and a last participant to leave the group instant messaging session.

9. The computing system of claim 4 wherein the first sub-object includes one or more of a last participant to join the group instant messaging session, and a last participant to leave the group instant messaging session.

10. The computer program produce of claim 1 , wherein generating the first sub-object includes rendering a copy of the one or more messages selected by the host computing device from the group instant messaging session within the first sub-object.

11. The computing system of claim 4 , wherein generating the first sub-object includes rendering a copy of the one or more messages selected by the host computing device from the group instant messaging session within the first sub-object.