Management of virtual discussion threads in a synchronous conferencing system

摘要

A mechanism is provided for defining and managing virtual discussion threads in a generic synchronous conferencing system. A chat server and chat client define a virtual discussion thread (VDT) entity that includes a group of chat entries or parts of chat entries. The chat entries in a VDT logically belong to the same “hidden” discussion within a chat session. Use of the VDT enables a chat system to support a user in understanding existing discussions by showing VDTs available in the overall list of chat entries and evidencing the chat entries in a VDT.