WO2012018313A1

WO2012018313A1 - A method and system for hosting instant messaging robots

Info

Publication number: WO2012018313A1
Application number: PCT/TR2010/000219
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ibrahim Karadogan
Original assignee: Nortel Networks Netas Telekomunikasyon Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2010-08-05
Filing date: 2010-11-11
Publication date: 2012-02-09
Also published as: TR201006485A2

Abstract

A system and a model is formed, which hosts the instant messaging robots (2B), and provides these robots (2B) serve in instant messaging networks (3) that are presently used or would be used in the future. The said robots are software formed with a certain level of artificial intelligence. The system and model of the patent significantly facilitates designing, application, and service of the instant messaging robots (2B). This system provides facility for isolating robot designing from instant messaging protocols, and thus provides facility for designing robots (2B), which would operate in instant messaging networks (3) without requirement of knowing these protocols. Through this system, by only designing a single robot; this robot is provided to be able to serve in all of the instant messaging networks (3), which are in use or which would be brought into use.

Description

DESCRIPTION

A METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HOSTING INSTANT MESSAGING ROBOTS The Related Art

The invention relates to instant messaging systems and the said system provides the users with a basically text based communication infrastructure and tools using this infrastructure.

The Prior Art

Instant messaging systems are the systems providing two or more users which registered to the instant message network have basically text based communication between each other by using required software. In the prior art, users of the instant messaging systems are people as also mentioned above.

Nowadays, instant messaging systems are widely used in communication between people. However, their use only being limited to people prevents making use of the present potential. Because, if a robot becomes one of the user parties of instant messaging systems, both the answers given by this robot would be much quicker in its field of service, these answers would be certain and correct, and also robots would serve for twenty four hours a day. In the prior art, as a result of using people in instant messaging systems, costs of the systems are high.

Use of instant messaging robots are not available in the prior art due to the complexity of instant messaging network protocols, in which instant messaging robots would serve, and due to the problems that the robot designers encounter during application of these protocols. Another problem is the necessity of forming a separate robot for each instant messaging network that is presently in use. As a result, the above said problems and the inadequacy of the present solutions have necessitated improvement in the related technical field.

Brief Description of the Invention The invention is formed by being inspired from the prior art and it aims to solve the above said problems.

The purpose of the invention is to isolate robot designing from instant messaging protocols, and thus provide facility for designing robots, which would operate in instant messaging networks without requirement of knowing these protocols.

Another purpose of the invention is to design only one robot and provide this robot serve in all of the instant messaging networks which are in use or which will be in use.

The system, which is the subject of the invention, for each robot, records to the system database user identity of each instant messaging network in which this robot would serve and sends request of registry to the instant messaging network by using this identity in the name of the robot. After having the respond with regard to the request of registry, this robot then becomes ready for answering messages of other users found in the relevant instant messaging network.

In case of sending of a message to the robot, the instant messaging network sends this message to the system, which is the subject of the invention. System organizes the message in a way that the robot would be able to understand and then transmits to the instant messaging robot.

Another purpose of the invention is to completely undertake the protocol communication with the instant messaging network. In this way, robots are provided to serve for instant messaging networks without the requirement of knowing and using these protocols. Communication with the instant messaging networks is completely performed via the system, which is the subject of the invention, and the protocol messaging used by the network being communicated is also performed completely via the system. Through this method, instant messaging robots can be included in instant messaging networks and serve for them without knowing their protocols.

Other units, components, methods, and computer software according to the embodiments would be understood by the person skilled in the art after examination of the detailed description and the figures. All the additional units, components, methods, and computer software included in this solution are within the scope of this invention and these are protected by relevant claims.

The structural and characteristic features of the invention and all advantages will be understood better in detailed descriptions with the figures given below and with reference to the figures, and therefore, the assessment should be made taking into account the said figures and detailed explanations.

Figures for Better Understanding of the Invention Figure - 1 ; is the view exemplifying the general situation of the system, which could be installed within the preferred embodiments of the invention.

Figure - 2; shows the interior block diagram of the components of the robot hosting system, which is described within the invention.

Description of Parts References

1. Robot hosting system

1A.lnstant message network interface

1 B.Service layer

IC.Robot protocol interface

2. Communication network

2A.Web server 2B.Robot

2C.Commercial applications

3. Instant messaging network

4. Protocol used in instant messaging networks (X PP)

5. Robot protocol

6. Database

7. Registry module

8. Robot session module

9. Access module

10. Database interface

11. Management interface

12. Personal information interface

XMPP: Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol

Drawings do not have to be scaled and details not necessary for understanding the present invention may be neglected. Moreover, components which are at least widely equal or which have at least widely equal functions are shown with the same number.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed description, the preferred embodiments of a system for hosting instant messaging robots (2B), which is the subject of the invention, will only be disclosed for better understanding of the subject, and will not form any limiting effect.

The system and method, embodiment of which are presented here, only have the purpose of exemplification and modifications and/or variations of this can be understood by people skilled in the art.

Robot hosting system (1 ) indicates the system, which is the subject of the invention. The instant message network interface (1A) indicates the component providing communication of the system, which is the subject of the invention, with instant messaging networks. Service layer (1B) indicates the components, which are at the position of the brain of the system, and which perform the required operations for accomplishment of the functions of the system, which is the subject of the invention. Robot protocol interface (1C) indicates the component providing communication of the system, which is the subject of the invention, with instant messaging robots via using the robot protocol. Communication network (2) indicates the entire sources and the medium wherein the instant messaging robot is found and it uses these for serving. Web server (2A) indicates the network web server, which would operate on the robot when the system, which is the subject of the invention, uses http protocol with the instant messaging robots.

Robot (2B) indicates the instant messaging robot comprised by the system of the invention and having artificial intelligence at various levels. Commercial applications (2C) indicate applications such as Database Management Systems, through which the data required for service of instant messaging robots are accessed, and which provide addition and update of data. Instant messaging network (3) is the messaging network, in which the users demanding service from robots (2B) get involved, and which is used by these users for message transaction with the system of the invention. The protocol (XMPP) (4) used in instant messaging networks is a text based and reliable messaging protocol. Robot protocol (5) is a protocol used for providing communication of the instant messaging robots with the system of the invention. Registry module (7) indicates the unit used by the robots for introducing themselves to the system. Robot session module (8) indicates the unit managing the communication sessions between the robots and the system, which is the subject of the invention. Access module (9) indicates the unit providing and controlling the access of the system of the invention to the instant messaging network. Database interface (10) indicates the unit providing access of the system of the invention to the database used. Management interface (11) indicates the unit providing the required functions (stopping, starting, statistics etc.) for management of the system, which is the subject of the invention. Personal information interface (12) indicates the interface providing conduction of the required settings about the instant messaging robots such as adding/changing photo and determining/changing robot nickname and so on. The invention is a method providing the instant messaging robots (2B) to be included in instant messaging networks (3) and then serve in these networks, and it comprises the operation steps of:

- recording of instant messaging robots (2B) in the system database (6),

- recording of the said robots (2B) in instant messaging networks (3) with the interface (1C) used,

- providing of the required messaging for knowledge of the status of presence (ready, offline, busy, etc.) of the said robots (2B) in instant messaging networks (3),

- receiving of the messages coming from instant messaging networks

(3),

- determination of which robot (2B) the received messages have been sent,

- organization of the received messages in a way that the robots (2B) can understand,

- usage of a simple and basic protocol (5) for the communication between the robots (2B) and the system (1 ), which is the subject of the invention,

- transmittance of the organized messages to the robots (2B) via robot protocol (5),

- receiving of the answers given by robots (2B) through robot protocol (5), and

- sending of these received answers to instant messaging networks (3) by using the relevant protocol (4).

Robot hosting system (1 ) shown in Figure 2 for application of the above said method comprises database (6) in which required information are recorded, registry module (7) by which the robots (2B) are recorded in the said database (6), robot session module (8) by which the conversation to be made with the robots (2B) is arranged, access module (9) providing transmission of the recording operation made via the said registry module (7) to the instant messaging network (3), database interface (10) providing conduction of operations in the said database (6), management interface (11 ) providing conduction of the management operations of the system, and personal information interface (12) providing conduction of personal operations.

After addition of an instant messaging robot (2B) to the robot hosting system (1), the said system (1 ) registers this robot (2B) to the relevant instant messaging network (3).

Addition of an instant messaging robot (2B) to the system (1) of the invention comprises recording to the system database (6) the Internet Protocol (IP) address and the port number at which that robot (2B) is positioned and serves.

As it would be seen in Figure-1 , after the registry operation, the robot (2B) is then ready for receiving messages from the relevant instant messaging network (3). Any message coming from the network is received by the instant messaging network interface (1 A). To which robot (2B) this message is sent is resolved by the service layer (1 B). After this resolution, the message is sent to the instant messaging robot (2B) by the robot protocol interface (1 C).

Through the web server (2A) of the company the said robots (2B) can be used in various commercial applications (2C) by the users found in the instant messaging network (3). Especially, they can be used together with suitable commercial applications (2C) in the communication networks (2) of the supporting departments of companies. In communication with the instant messaging robot (2B), a text based robot protocol (5), which is presently widely used, and which operates on widely known communication protocols, is used. These protocols (5) are HTTP and etc. protocols operating on TCP and/or UDP, and they are a part of the system, which is the subject of this invention.

As it is seen in Figure - 1 , in respond to the message manipulated by the artificial intelligence of the instant messaging robot (2B), a reply is formed by the robot (2B). The robot (2B) sends this reply to the robot protocol interface (1C). The received reply is transmitted to the instant messaging network interface (1A) by the service layer (1 B). And the instant messaging network interface (1A) arranges the reply according to the required protocol (4) for sending to the relevant instant messaging network (3) and sends it.

The system of the invention also provides the required infrastructure for keeping the usage information of the robots (2B) in the database (6). Moreover, the system also provides the required interfaces for statistically presenting this usage information.

Claims

A method providing the instant messaging robots (2B) be included in instant messaging networks (3) and then serve in these networks, and it is characterized in that; it comprises the operation steps of:

- recording of instant messaging robots (2B) in the system database (6),

- receiving of the messages coming from instant messaging networks (3),

- determination of which robot (2B) the received messages have been sent,

- receiving of the answers given by robots (2B) through robot protocol (5), and

A method according to Claim 1 , and it is characterized in that; for each robot recorded in the database (6), a single identity number is given representing that robot and belonging to the system, which is the subject of the application.

3. A method according to any one of the above given claims, and it is characterized in that; for each robot (2B), an identity name is assigned belonging to each instant messaging network (3) to be served.

4. A method according to any one of the above given claims, and it is characterized in that; the presence information of the instant messaging robots (2B) are enquired in certain intervals.

5. A method according to Claim 4, and it is characterized in that; the presence status enquiry results are kept in a suitable manner in the database (6).

6. A method according to Claims 4 and 5, and it is characterized in that; instant messaging networks (3) are notified about the presence status found in the database (6).

7. A method according to any one of the above given claims, and it is characterized in that; protocol (4) and/or protocols (4) are formed providing organization of the messages coming from instant messaging networks (3) in a way that the robots (2B) would be able to understand.

8. A method according to any one of the above given claims, and it is characterized in that; the answers to be formed by robots (2B) would be organized in a way that they can be sent to instant messaging networks (3).

9. A method according to any one of the above given claims, and it is characterized in that; the amount of usage of the robots (2B) are kept as files in the database (6) and/or hard disk.

10. A method according to Claim 9, and it is characterized in that; the required interfaces are formed for displaying the robot usage statistics when desired.

11. Robot hosting system (1 ) according to the method found in Claim 1 , and it is characterized in that; it comprises database (6) in which required information are recorded, registry module (7) by which the robots (2B) are recorded in the said database (6), robot session module (8) by which the conversation to be made with the robots (2B) is arranged, access module (9) providing transmission of the recording operation made via the said registry module (7) to the instant messaging network (3), database interface (10) providing conduction of operations in the said database (6), management interface (11) providing conduction of the management operations of the system, and personal information interface (12) providing conduction of personal operations.

12. Robot hosting system (1) according to Claim 11 , and it is characterized in that; it comprises personal information interface (12), which provides the owner of robots (2B) with the facility of making required settings about the said robots (2B) such as adding/changing photo, determining/changing robot nickname and so on.