| 摘要 |
A framework and method to integrate a Search Service in an IM environment is provided. A Search Service is represented by one or more buddies or contacts of an IM user. An IM user performs inline search by adding a buddy representing a Search Service to a new or existing IM conversation, and inputting search query as a normal IM message. The Search Service sends the search results back as a regular IM message to all parties participating in the IM conversation. A Search Service implements and runs persistently one or more IM client simulators (SEIMCS) according to the communication and application protocol of an IM system. The Search Service defines one or more universally unique identifiers (UUIDs), registers one or more IM members with the UUIDs to an IM service. It logs in the defined IM members to the IM system and publishes these IM members. The framework allows a Search Service to work with any IM service, and an IM service can support any Search Service, wherein the Search Services and the IM services are operated independently. Neither IM client software nor IM system needs to be changed. No special indicators, prefix of IM message, search button or other actions need to be defined for performing search in an IM environment.
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