[IM-patents] USPTO Patent Applications for 30-Jan-2003 related to Instant Messaging

Sat Feb 1 19:40:08 CST 2003

Below, you'll find a summary of some of the new patent applications
concerning Instant Messaging and related areas that were filed on
30-Jan-2003 (i.e.last Thursday). It is interesting to note in this
week's collection the emergence of Microsoft's attempts to pin down its
.NET services as well as the continuing strong interest on IBM's part in
locking up IM related patents (There were at least 8 IBM applications
published just this week!). 
    More information on these applications and others like them will be
made available on http://www.pubsub.org/ . Your comments are welcomed.

        bob wyman

20030023623 Schema-based service for identity-based access to presence
data
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=13&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023623 Published: 30-Jan-2003
One of a number of applications, apparently by Microsoft, claiming key
elements of .NET services such as .NET My Services, .NET Presence, .NET
Identity, etc. The basic claim here is on providing access to
information in a form which is application independent.  (i.e. generic
data encoding using XML with a schema) 

 20030023850 Verifying messaging sessions by digital signatures of
participants IM
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=2&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instant
+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023850 Published: 30-Jan-2003
IBM claims the use of digital signatures to identify participants in an
IM session. Claim 1 relates to digital signatures that are stored in a
recorded IM session, while other independent claims, including claims 27
and 31 expand the scope to include the use and verification of digital
signatures in "real-time". Applying digital signatures in IM systems is
certainly "useful," however, it is undoubtedly "obvious" that this
technology would be used by IM systems. Digital signature technology was
developed to provide a means to identify any bit of digital data. The
use of signatures here is simply one use of the many uses that were
anticipated by the original idea of having signatures.

20030020750 Specifying messaging session subject preferences
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=22&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030020750 Published: 30-Jan-2003
IBM claims a system of "filtering" or monitoring a number of IM channels
or topics and "when a conversation thread about a subject preferences in
a messaging session is initiated or in progress, a user is notified of
that channel, topic and message entry." The claims expand the base idea
of monitoring based on subject to also include notifications based on
"activity level", notifying users of new channels or threads that match
subject preferences, and providing a graphical interface for defining a
user's subject preferences. 

20030023689 Editing messaging sessions for a record
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=7&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instant
+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023689 Published: 30-Jan-2003
In one of a number of applications dealing with recorded IM sessions,
IBM claims a process which allows "users participating in a messaging
session to edit their own entries and allow other users to acknowledge
the edited entries for the record and replicate the record for each
participant." 
This ability to "revise and extend" comments would be familiar to anyone
who has ever read the "Congressional Record"... 

20030023684 Individually specifying message output attributes in a
messaging system
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=8&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instant
+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023684 Published: 30-Jan-2003
IBM claims a system of associating rules with instant messages to modify
their handling. These rules would do things like change the text color
of a message based on the sender identity or topic, filter messages, or
to create "virtual subtopics" by splitting up messages sent to one topic
into a number of subtopics. The type of "output attributes" covered will
be familiar to users of email systems like Outlook Express that allow
you to change the text font, color, etc. of entries in your folders
based on sender name or that allow you to filter messages into different
folders. Claim 33 and others expands the scope of the application to
handle methods of processing requests for new discussion topics. Claim
51 and others expand the scope to cover graphical means for selecting
the topic to which a message should be sent. 

20030023683 Notifying users when messaging sessions are recorded
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=9&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instant
+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023683 Published: 30-Jan-2003
 IBM claims a method, system and program for notifying users
participating in a messaging session when that messaging session, or
part of it, is being recorded and allowing users to authorize the
recording or adjust the "output attributes" of recorded sessions or
messages. 

20030023682 Watermarking messaging sessions
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=10&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023682 Published: 30-Jan-2003
 IBM claims the process of watermarking messaging sessions such that the
origin of recorded messaging sessions is traceable. The claims broaden
to include the watermarking of individual messages in "real-time" so
that their origins can be detected whether or not stored in a session
recording.

20030023681 Sharing messaging device information among network users
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=11&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023681 Published: 30-Jan-2003
IBM claims a system by which participants in a messaging session can
become aware of the devices used by others and of the limitations or
capabilities of those devices. The idea is that if you know that someone
is using a PDA in a session, you might tend not to send large
messages... 

20030021416 Encrypting a messaging session with a symmetric key
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=16&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030021416 Published: 30-Jan-2003
IBM claims the most basic use of PKI in an IM session. It is difficult
to say much about this application other than to question if there is
any other rational way of encrypting an IM session. What they have
applied for is so obvious that it is almost painful to read the
application.

20030023690 Method and apparatus for providing selective delivery of
notifications to users of multiple devices over a network
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=6&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instant
+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023690 Published: 30-Jan-2003
Claims the use of presence information to determine to which of a
plurarity of user's devices notifications and messages should be sent.
(i.e. claims one of the basic and most commonly discussed reason for
having presence data). Later claims expand the basic idea to include
working through a list of devices on which presence information
indicates the user is available until an acknowledgement is received.

20030021403 Passive call blocking method and apparatus
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=17&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030021403 Published: 30-Jan-2003
Claims a system that allows you to do "call blocking" by generating a
false "ringing" signal rather than explicitly stating that the call has
been blocked. This is the "gentle" way to reject a call. Makes specific
reference to SIP and thus constrains SIMPLE. A broadly based claim could
cause problems for Jabber and other IM systems as well... 

20030021264 Call transfer using session initiation protocol (SIP)
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=20&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030021264 Published: 30-Jan-2003
Claims SIP based call transfer based on Presence information. 

20030023754 Method and system for adding real-time, interactive
functionality to a web-page
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=3&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instant
+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023754 Published: 30-Jan-2003
Seems to claim the idea of IM on a web page. The process claimed
"enables interaction between and among a plurality of users viewing the
same web-page." I find it difficult to distinguish what is claimed here
from the many existing examples of systems that allow people to have
discussions on web pages or talk about web pages.

20030023736 Method and system for filtering messages 
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=4&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instant
+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023736 Published: 30-Jan-2003
Claims a general method of filtering messages based on an authorization
scheme. The "authorization" here seems to include "white lists" and
"black lists" based on senders' identity or on content in messages. The
only twist here is that it provides a way to tell someone how to
generate a message that will be accepted. For instance, it would allow
you to insist that a user must "pay" in order to have their messages
received. In this way, it is very much like the "
<http://www.research.ibm.com/journal/sj/414/forum.pdf> interrupt token"
idea that was proposed by Scott Fahlman of IBM and others.

20030023679 System and process for network collaboration through
embedded annotation and rendering instructions
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=12&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023679 Published: 30-Jan-2003
Claims a system of  network collaboration through embedded annotation,
etc.. Basically, like WEBDAV. Specifically claims "the present invention
is usable with other forms of message or content transmission, e.g.,
file transfer protocol, telnet, chat, or instant messaging" 

20030023489 Method and system for providing network based target
advertising
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=14&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023489 Published: 30-Jan-2003
Claims targeted ad delivery based on geographic location in web, SMS,
instant messaging systems, etc. Expands on standard geo-based systems by
claiming the process of determining whether or not the remote user is in
the territory covered by a particular newspaper, 

20030023427 Devices, methods and a system for implementing a media
content delivery and playback scheme
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=15&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023427 Published: 30-Jan-2003
Claims a system in which media to be displayed is downloaded to the
client asynchronously for later play-back. This is a patent on
"pre-fetching" of content. The most common prior art is the "Updates"
alert on many Microsoft desktops today. Also, this technique was used by
many "media" advertising companies in the past. 

20030021397 Policy based PC-to-phone text messaging for enterprise
networks
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=19&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030021397 Published: 30-Jan-2003
Claims a gateway between computer based messaging systems and PBX
systems. It would cover systems that convert IM messages to messages
sent via PBX systems and provide a method for establishing "policies" or
rules defining which messages should be gatewayed and to which PBX
connected phones. 

20030021244 Methods and systems of blocking and/or disregarding data and
related wireless terminals and wireless service providers
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=21&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instan
t+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030021244 Published: 30-Jan-2003
Claims the use of  "white lists" for authorizing or filtering  messages
sent to wireless devices. An attempt to claim a well known, obvious
method simply by applying it to a new medium.

20030023854 System and method for screening incoming video
communications within an interactive television system
US Patent Application
<http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&
u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1='instant
+messaging'&s2=20030130.PGPD.&OS=> 20030023854 Published: 30-Jan-2003
Claims the use of "white-lists" for authorizing and filtering video
communications sent via interactive television systems. An attempt to
claim a well known, obvious method simply by applying it to a new
medium. 

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