Instant messaging and enhanced scheduling

• US 20050027805A1
• Filed: 07/15/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aoki, Norihiro Edwin
• Application Number:
  US10/620,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20050027805A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

Instant messaging communications method and apparatus are provided in which one of the parties is not a person but an automated system or agent (bot) that accepts requests and issues responses. The invention provides such a bot, which can be used as an aid to scheduling events and tasks, either alone, or in conjunction with other individuals. The bot is addressable by the user. In one embodiment, a bot appears as an entity on a buddy list. For example, a participant who would like to schedule a meeting initiates a conversation with the bot, which then asks a series of questions to determine the intent of the user. The bot could also initiate instant messaging communications to prospective meeting attendees and mediate a discussion related to the meeting. In another embodiment, the agent or bot is linked to an online calendar service to determine participant availability and after finalizing meeting details, adds such information to the participants'"'"' online calendar, as dictated by the capabilities of the calendar application.

Claims

6-1. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said automated agent initiates messaging communications to prospective meeting attendees and mediates a discussion related to said meeting.

13. A method for manipulating data in a backend system using an automated agent, said method comprising:

providing a messaging client for exchanging messages over a network with a messaging server;

providing said automated agent, wherein said automated agent is coupled to said messaging server; and

providing said backend system, wherein said backend system is coupled to said automated agent.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said automated agent is capable of accepting requests and issuing responses.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said automated agent obtains and uses input data from a plurality of other entities coupled to said messaging server for helping to determine said manipulation of data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said automated agent initiates messaging communications to said plurality of other entities and mediates a discussion related to said input data.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said automated agent appears as a buddy on a buddy list.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said automated agent initiates messaging communications to prospective meeting attendees and mediates a discussion related to said meeting.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said automated agent is capable of responding with any of, but not limited to:

information, confirmation, availability, and a request for additional information.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein said messaging client exchanges messages via said network with said messaging server by any of, but not limited to:

two-way messaging in real-time and/or non-real-time;

email in real-time and/or non-real-time;

a paging network in one-way and/or two-way in near-real-time; and

instant messaging systems in two-way in real-time.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein said automated agent received messages passed from said messaging server and parses said messages.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein said backend system maintains informational data of said messaging client, and said messaging client is capable of accessing said informational data directly.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein said messaging client engages in a dialog with said automated agent.

24. The method of claim 13, said automated agent performing any of:

proactively sending messages to said messaging client, said messages comprising, but not limited to alerting and reminders;

asking a series of questions to said messaging client to determine intent; and

determining resource availability.