DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a message system, and to a method of operating a message system.

The publication of information by private individuals using the Internet is now increasingly common. One example of such a publication is known as a blog. A blog is a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary and descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse- chronological order. Many blogs provide commentary on a particular topic, while others function as personal online diaries. A typical blog may combine text, images, and links to other web pages. Micro-blogging is a type of blogging, which consists of blogs with very short posts.

An example of such a micro-blogging service is Twitter (http://twitter.com), which is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users' updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length. Updates are displayed on the user's profile page and delivered to other users who have signed up to receive them. Twitter and other similar variants allow users to build up a list of other users of whom they would like to keep track. Occasionally, one of a users connected "friends" may reply to another user who is not in the users list of friends, thus leaving some conversations out of the reach of the user without further research.

It is therefore an object of the invention to improve upon the known art.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a message system comprising maintaining a list of users of the message system, maintaining a connection list and a message stream for each user of the message system, receiving a message from a first user of the message system, publishing the received message on the message stream of the first user, publishing the received message on the message streams of the users identified in the first user's connection list, detecting that the received message is a reply to an earlier message from a second user, and publishing the earlier message on the message streams of the users identified in the first user's connection list, who are not in the second user's connection list.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a message system comprising a plurality of client devices, and a server connected to the client devices and arranged to maintain a list of users of the message system, maintain a connection list and a message stream for each user of the message system, receive a message from a first user of the message system, publish the received message on the message stream of the first user, publish the received message on the message streams of the users identified in the first user's connection list, detect that the received message is a reply to an earlier message from a second user, and to publish the earlier message on the message streams of the users identified in the first user's connection list, who are not in the second user's connection list.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program product on a computer readable medium for operating a message system, the product comprising instructions for maintaining a list of users of the message system, maintaining a connection list and a message stream for each user of the message system, receiving a message from a first user of the message system, publishing the received message on the message stream of the first user, publishing the received message on the message streams of the users identified in the first user's connection list, detecting that the received message is a reply to an earlier message from a second user, and publishing the earlier message on the message streams of the users identified in the first user's connection list, who are not in the second user's connection list.

Owing to the invention, it is possible to provide a messaging system that will automatically respond to the situation where a user receives a message on their message stream that is a response to an earlier message to which they do not have access. The messaging system obtains the earlier message and adds it to the user's message stream, so that the user does not have to either go through a laborious process to obtain the earlier message or actually remains unaware of the content of the earlier message. Preferably, the method further comprises detecting that the earlier message is a reply to a yet earlier message from a further user, and publishing the yet earlier message on the message streams of the users identified in the first user's connection list, who are not in the further user's connection list. The messaging system can be operated so that if the earlier message that is publishing on the message streams of the users identified in the first user's connection list, who are not in the second user's connection list, is in fact part of a longer conversation, then one or more further messages can also be posted to the message streams. This further assists the users in understanding the messages that are posted to their streams, when they refer back to messages to which they would not normally have access.

Advantageously, the step of detecting that the received message is a reply to an earlier message from a second user comprises identifying the name of the second user in the received message. One simple method by which the received message can be identified as referring back to an earlier message is through reference to a specific user in the received message. This can easily be identified from the content of the message and allows the system to then carry out the step of identifying and publishing this earlier message to those users who would not normally see the message.

Ideally, the step of publishing the earlier message on the message streams of the users identified in the first user's connection list, who are not in the second user's connection list, comprises inserting the earlier message in the respective message streams in the correct time position. The presentation of the message stream to a user can be made consistent by inserting the earlier message in the users' respective streams at the correct location time- wise. The presentation of the message to the users in their message streams can also be enhanced by using a user interface technique (such as a different colour) to indicate to the user that a message has been inserted, which would not normally be present in the user's message stream.

Preferably, the method further comprises generating a connection request between the second user and the users identified in the first user's connection list, who are not in the second user's connection list. The method of operating the message system can also be enhanced by generating an automatic connection request between the two users who are currently not connected. This will allow them to decide whether to become connected, thereby appearing in each other's connection list.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: -

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a message system,

Figures 2a and 2b are schematic diagrams of connections in a message system,

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a pair of message streams,

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of connections in a message system showing message flow,

Figure 5 is a further schematic diagram of a pair of message streams, and

Figure 6 is a flowchart of a method of operating the message system.

A message system is shown in Figure 1, which comprises a plurality of client devices 10 connected to a server 12 via a network 14. The network could be a wide area network such as the Internet, or could be an internal network with an organisation, for example. The server

12 is running software that maintains the messaging service, and the client devices 10 connect to the server 12 in order to participate in the messaging system. The client devices 10 and the server 12 are in two-way communication via the network 14. For simplicity of explanation, only two client devices 10 are shown, whereas in reality a very large number of different client devices 10 can be connected to the server 12 at any one time. The client devices 10 are here shown as desktop computers, but can be any suitable device with a necessary connection and sufficient processing capability, such as a mobile phone, laptop or handheld computer.

In the example of Figure 1, the network 14 is the Internet, which means that the message service provided by the server is available to any user with an Internet connection. Effectively, the server 12 is running a web service through a website. The server 12 is shown as a single device, but may comprise more than one device, with the functionality distributed amongst the different devices. To participate in the service offered by the server 12, the users must connect to the website and register as a user. Once an individual is registered with the service run by the server 12, then they can connect to the server 12 at any time and use the message service. The service provided by the server 12 is a micro-b logging service, which allows each user to publish one or more messages on their own micro-blog. Users can also subscribe to other people's micro-blogs. If a first user is subscribed to a second user's micro- blog, then the first user will also have published on their micro-blog any of the second user's messages published on the second user's micro-blog.

The server 12, in order to operate the message system, must maintain certain information about each of the individual users who are registered with the service, in order for the service to function effectively. For example, it is necessary for the server 12 to maintain a list of the users of the message system and also maintain a connection list and a message stream (the micro-blog) for each user of the message system. The connection list for a specific user defines those users who are connected to the specific user, and will therefore have published on their own message streams the messages published by the specific user. Normally, the connection between two users has to be agreed between them in a formal process.

Figure 2a illustrates a connection diagram showing four users, David, Bill, John and George.

Each user 16 is shown as a circle. The connection by an arrow to another user 16 illustrates where two users 16 are connected within the message system. The messaging system maintains a search function which allows users 16 to search for each other, and when a user 16 wishes to connect to another user they will make a connection request which is then passed to that other user. Once the other user has accepted the request, then the connection between the two users is established. Figure 2a shows a visualisation of the connections for the purpose of understanding the principle; data would not actually be stored in this format.

Figure 2b shows a table which includes two connections lists 18 for two of the users, Bill and John, illustrated in Figure 2a. Bill's connections are to John and David, and the connection list 18 for Bill lists those two users 16. John's connections are to Bill and George and they are shown in John's connection list 18. Depending upon the construction of the message system being run by the server 12, connections could be two-way or one-way or either could be supported. In terms of a micro-blogging message system a one-way connection would mean that messages published on a first message stream would automatically be published on the connected user's message stream, but not vice versa. This can be seen to be the difference between following someone else's message stream and having a follower to your own message stream.

An example of the output as presented to a user of the message system is illustrated in Figure 3, which shows two example message streams 20 for the users Bill and John of Figure 2. Depending upon the configuration of the message system and of the individual user's preferences, these message streams 20 may be freely available for viewing by any user of the system, or may only be viewed by the actual connected users to the respective user. Although the two message streams 20 are both shown together, typically a user will only be able to see one message stream 20 at a time, and can navigate between message streams 20 according to the structure of the user interface of the message system.

A message stream 20 is made up of messages 22. Each message 22 includes the time of publication, the name of the user 16 who made the publication and the content of the message 22. In many micro-blogging message systems, the size of the message 22 is limited, for example to 140 characters, although there is nothing to stop a user 16 from posting multiple messages 22. The messages 22 are ordered such that the most recently posted message 22 is found at the top of the message stream 20. As each new message 22 is written and posted, then that new message 22 will be published at the top, and the older messages will move down the page.

Each user 16 effectively posts on their own message stream 20, and the message 22 that is posted by the user on their own stream 20 is then published on all of the message streams 20 identified in the user's connection list 18. This can be seen in Figure 3, where, for example, John published a message 22 at time 13.40, shown in their own message stream 20, which is then also published on Bill's stream 20, as Bill is a user 16 who is connected to John.

Similarly, all of the messages that Bill has posted on his stream 20 have also been published on John's stream. However, user David publishing a message on his stream 20 will cause that message 22 to be published on Bill's stream 20, as Bill is connected to David, but the message 22 is not published on John's stream 20, as John in not connected to David (see Figure 2a).

The problem with the operation of such a message system is shown in Figure 4. When David creates a message 22 this is published on his stream 20, and this message (as 22' in the Figure) is also published on Bill's stream 20, because Bill is a user 16 connected to David (as detailed in David's connection list 18). When Bill replies to this message 22 with his own message 22, then this new message 22 is published on Bill's stream 20 and on David's stream 20. However this message 22 is also published on John's message stream 20, as he is also a user 16 connected to Bill. Yet Bill does not know what this reply message 22 is about.

The following describes the existing flow of messages 22, from the point of view of John. An unconnected user (David) updates his conversation at time T+0. A connected user (Bill) replies to the new item in the conversation at T+l . The user (John) only sees the connected user's reply (Bill's reply) to the unconnected user (David) but nothing else. John has no knowledge of the earlier message, and this can lead to a confusing and/or annoying situation with regard to the content of the user's message stream 20. There is a need to provide a mechanism that will overcome the problem of a connected user replying to message 22 that originated from a user who is unconnected.

The message system is enhanced to extending the social network with related conversations. This system solves the problem by detecting when a connected user replies to a user who is not connected and attaches the preceding conversation to the user's conversation list. The message flow would now be as follows, again from the point of view of John. The unconnected user (David) updates his conversation at time T+0. The connected user (Bill) replies to the new item in the conversation at T+l . The system detects that a connected user is replying to an unconnected user and injects the earlier message at T+0 into the message stream 20. The user (John) sees connected user's reply and the original unconnected user's message 22. This sequence can be applied repeatedly if the non-connected user's message 22 was in reply to another non-connected user, until the full conversation thread is complete. Figure 5 shows how the message streams 20 of Figure 3 would be changed by the implementation of the feature described above. Specifically, the 15.11 message published by Bill was a reply to the 14.59 message published by David. However, as discussed above, although John will see the 15.11 message from Bill, in a normal operation John would not see the earlier 14.59 message from David in his message stream 20, as John is not connected to David. Without the implementation of the improvement, all that John sees in his stream 20 is the message from Bill which is a reply that does not make sense without the earlier message.

The message stream 20 of John, shown in the lower half of Figure 5, is however, amended to include the earlier message 24 published by David on his stream 20. This allows John to see the context of the reply message 22, which is made at 15.11 by Bill. Ideally, the inserting of the earlier message 24 in the message stream 20 is such that it is in the correct time position. The presentation of the new message 24 in the message stream 20 can also be enhanced by using a different colour to indicate to the user that the earlier message 24 has been inserted, which would not normally be present in the user's message stream 20.

The process of inserting the new message 24 into the message stream 20 is carried out automatically by the server 12, in response to a defined set of circumstances. The server 12 is arranged to recognise that the message 22 of Bill is a reply to the earlier message 24 of

David. This can be achieved in a number of ways. For example, the user interface of the messaging service may include a "reply to" function which therefore explicitly labels the published message 22 as a reply to an earlier message 24. Other implicit techniques may be used, for example by identifying the use of a name in the earlier message 24, or by identifying the use of a specific nomenclature such as @name, as indicators that the later message 22 is a reply to the earlier message 24.

Figure 6 summarises the methodology behind the implementation of the improved messaging system, from the point of view of the server 12. Although the above example of Figures 2 to 5 is described from the point of view of a single individual who is confused by the later message 20, in reality there will be multiple users who are not connected to the original user, who posted the earlier message 24, who will need to receive that earlier message 24. The method described with reference to Figure 6 will catch all of the users who need to see the earlier message 24. Each user who is connected to the later user but not the earlier user needs to have their message stream 20 amended.

The method of operating the message system comprises, at step Sl, maintaining a list of users 16 of the message system and maintaining a connection list 18 and a message stream 20 for each user 16 of the message system. At step S2 there is then the step of receiving a message 22 from a first user 16 of the message system, which results in the steps S3 of publishing the received message 22 on the message stream 20 of the first user 16 and step S4 of publishing the received message 22 on the message streams 20 of the users 16 identified in the first user's connection list 18.

Once this has been completed, there is carried out the step S5 of detecting that the received message 22 is a reply to an earlier message 25 from a second user 16, and at step S6 of publishing the earlier message 24 on the message streams 20 of the users 16 identified in the first user's connection list 18, who are not in the second user's connection list 18. In this way, all of the users 16 of the system who are not connected to the user 16 who posted the earlier message 24, but are connected to the user 16 who posted the reply 22 to the earlier message 24, will have that earlier message 24 published on their message stream 20.