Automatic usage control of instant messages in computing systems

An instant message (IM) server in an instant message system configured to provide an IM service to users, the instant message server comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor to cause the instant message server to:
• upon detecting occurrences of IM events during one or more IM sessions participated by a user of the IM service,
• determine an IM usage time of the user during the one or more IM sessions based on numbers of the detected occurrences of the IM events and weight factors corresponding to each type of the IM events, the weight factors correlating the numbers of occurrences of each type of the IM events to a corresponding IM usage period for each occurrence;
• perform a comparison of the determined IM usage time of the user with a preset threshold;
• and
• when the IM usage time of the user exceeds the threshold based on the comparison, automatically adjust the IM service provided to the user by the instant message server.

A method for automatic instant message (IM) usage control in an instant message system having one or more instant message servers interconnected by a computer network and configured to provide an IM service to users, the method comprising:

• detecting, at an instant message server, occurrences of types of IM events during one or more IM sessions participated by a user of the IM service and facilitated by the instant message server, the types of the IM events including at least IM reception and IM transmission;
• deriving, at the instant message server, an IM usage time of the user during the one or more IM sessions based on numbers of the detected occurrences of the IM events and weight factors corresponding to each type of the IM events;
• determining, at the instant message server, whether the determined IM usage time of the user exceeds a preset threshold;
• and
• in response to determining that the IM usage time of the user exceeds the threshold, at the instant message server, automatically adjusting the IM service provided to the user by the instant message server.