Time conversion in an instant message

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, program products and systems for displaying a corrected time included in the text of an instant message. One or more processors determine that an instant message sent from a first user to a second user includes a first time and a first time zone corresponding to the first time and determine that the first time zone corresponding to the first time does not match a second time zone. The one or more processors convert the first time to a second time, wherein the second time is determined based, at least in part, on the first time, the first time zone, and the second time zone. The one or more processors cause the second time to be displayed to the second user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining, by one or more processors, a first time zone associated with a text of an instant message based, at least in part on a location of a first user at a first time the instant message was sent to a second user;   determining, by one or more processors, a second time and second time zone associated with the second user, wherein the time and time zone correspond to the time the instant message was sent to the second user;   determining, by one or more processors, that second time and the second time zone associated with the second user does not match the first time zone associated with the first user;   converting, by one or more processors, the first time to the second time, wherein the second time is the first time converted from the first time zone to the second time zone;   obscuring, by one or more processors, the first time included in the message from the second user; and   causing, by one or more processors, the second time to be displayed in the instant message instead of the obscured first time to the second user as a hyperlink, wherein the hyperlink links to a calendaring program of the second user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing, by one or more processors, a calendar for the first user, wherein the calendar includes one or more event(s) scheduled for the first user that each include a respectively associated time and time zone;   determining, by one or more processors, a third time zone where the first user is scheduled to be at the first time based, at least in part, on a comparison of the first time to time(s) and respectively associated time zone(s) of event(s) in the first user's calendar that are close to the first time;   determining, by one or more processors, that the first time zone corresponding to the first time does not match the third time zone;   converting, by one or more processors, the first time to a third time, wherein the third time is the first time converted from the first time zone to the third time zone; and   causing, by one or more processors, the third time to be displayed to the first user.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein converting the first time to a second time, wherein the second time is the first time converted from the first time zone to the second time zone comprises:
 accessing, by one or more processors, a table that lists time zones and rules for converting between time zones; and   converting, by one or more processors, the first time to the second time using the table.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein causing the third time to be displayed to the first user comprises causing, by one or more processors, the third time to be displayed to the first user in a different format from other content in the instant message sent from the first user to the second user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the different format includes a different color. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein causing the third time to be displayed to the first user comprises causing, by one or more processors, the third time to be displayed to the first user such that the third time is an icon to activate a hover box displaying the first time, wherein when the first user hovers a cursor over the third time, the one or more processors cause the hover box to appear. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein causing the third time to be displayed to the first user comprises causing, by one or more processors, the third time to be displayed to the first user as a hyperlink, wherein the hyperlink links to a calendaring program of the second user. 
     
     
         8 . A computer program product comprising:
 one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising:
 program instructions to determine a first time zone associated with a text of an instant message based, at least in part on a location of a first user at a first time the instant message was sent to a second user; 
 program instructions to determine a second time and second time zone associated with the second user, wherein the time and time zone correspond to the time the instant message was sent to the second user; 
 program instructions to determine that second time and the second time zone associated with the second user does not match the first time zone associated with the first user; 
 program instructions to convert the first time to the second time, wherein the second time is the first time converted from the first time zone to the second time zone; 
 program instructions to obscure the first time included in the message from the second user; and 
 program instructions to cause the second time to be displayed in the instant message instead of the obscured first time to the second user as a hyperlink, wherein the hyperlink links to a calendaring program of the second user. 
   
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media further comprise:
 program instructions to provide a calendar for the first user, wherein the calendar includes one or more event(s) scheduled for the first user that each include a respectively associated time and time zone;   program instructions to determine a third time zone where the first user is scheduled to be at the first time based, at least in part, on a comparison of the first time to time(s) and respectively associated time zone(s) of event(s) in the first user's calendar that are close to the first time;   program instructions to determine that the first time zone corresponding to the first time does not match the third time zone;   program instructions to convert the first time to a third time, wherein the third time is the first time converted from the first time zone to the third time zone; and   program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user.   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the program instructions to convert the first time to a second time, wherein the second time is the first time converted from the first time zone to the second time zone comprise:
 program instructions to access a table that lists time zones and rules for converting between time zones; and   program instructions to convert the first time to the second time using the table.   
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user comprise program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user in a different format from other content in the instant message sent from the first user to the second user. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the different format includes a different color. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user comprise program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user such that the third time is an icon to activate a hover box displaying the first time, wherein when the first user hovers a cursor over the third time, the one or more processors cause the hover box to appear. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user comprise program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user as a hyperlink, wherein the hyperlink links to a calendaring program of the second user. 
     
     
         15 . A computer system comprising:
 one or more computer processors;   one or more computer readable storage media; and   program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising:
 program instructions to determine a first time zone associated with a text of an instant message based, at least in part on a location of a first user at a first time the instant message was sent to a second user; 
 program instructions to determine a second time and second time zone associated with the second user, wherein the time and time zone correspond to the time the instant message was sent to the second user; 
 program instructions to determine that second time and the second time zone associated with the second user does not match the first time zone associated with the first user; 
 program instructions to convert the first time to the second time, wherein the second time is the first time converted from the first time zone to the second time zone; 
 program instructions to obscure the first time included in the message from the second user; and 
 program instructions to cause the second time to be displayed in the instant message instead of the obscured first time to the second user as a hyperlink, wherein the hyperlink links to a calendaring program of the second user. 
   
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media further comprise:
 program instructions to provide a calendar for the first user, wherein the calendar includes one or more event(s) scheduled for the first user that each include a respectively associated time and time zone;   program instructions to determine a third time zone where the first user is scheduled to be at the first time based, at least in part, on a comparison of the first time to time(s) and respectively associated time zone(s) of event(s) in the first user's calendar that are close to the first time;   program instructions to determine that the first time zone corresponding to the first time does not match the third time zone;   program instructions to convert the first time to a third time, wherein the third time is the first time converted from the first time zone to the third time zone; and   program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user.   
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the program instructions to convert the first time to a second time, wherein the second time is the first time converted from the first time zone to the second time zone comprise:
 program instructions to access a table that lists time zones and rules for converting between time zones; and   program instructions to convert the first time to the second time using the table.   
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user comprise program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user in a different format from other content in the instant message sent from the first user to the second user. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein the different format includes a different color. 
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user comprise program instructions to cause the third time to be displayed to the first user such that the third time is an icon to activate a hover box displaying the first time, wherein when the first user hovers a cursor over the third time, the one or more processors cause the hover box to appear.