Method and system for presence state assignment based on schedule information in an instant messaging system

• US 20050071426A1
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Rahul L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,752,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A method and system for presence state assignment based on schedule information in an instant messenger system. In one embodiment, the method may include storing schedule information corresponding to a given user, where the schedule information is indicative of an activity status of the given user at a given time. The method may further include querying the schedule information, and if a current presence state of an instant messenger does not correspond to the activity status indicated by the schedule information, assigning a different presence state that corresponds to the activity status in response to the querying, where the current presence state and the different presence state each correspond to the given user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing schedule information corresponding to a given user, wherein said schedule information is indicative of an activity status of said given user at a given time;

querying said schedule information; and

if a current presence state of an instant messenger does not correspond to said activity status indicated by said schedule information, assigning a different presence state that corresponds to said activity status in response to said querying, wherein said current presence state and said different presence state each correspond to said given user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein storing said schedule information corresponding to said given user comprises providing a calendar application.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said calendar application is compliant with the Internet Calendaring and Scheduling Core Object Specification standard (RFC 2445).

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein querying said schedule information comprises accessing said calendar application via a uniform resource locator (URL).

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to an engaged state in response to detecting a engaged activity status of said given user.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to an online state in response to detecting an available activity status of said given user.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to a state determined by said schedule information.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a computer system activity level indicative of computer system activity;

determining whether said activity level exceeds an activity threshold in response to said detecting; and

transitioning a presence state of said instant messenger to a busy state in response to determining that said activity level exceeds said activity threshold, wherein said presence state corresponds to a given user.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an instant messaging operation directed to a given user, wherein said given user is not offline;

determining a presence state of said instant messenger in response to receiving said instant messaging operation; and

selectively processing said instant messaging operation dependent upon said presence state in response to said determining.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

storing an instant messaging operation associated with a given presence state of said instant messenger, wherein said given presence state corresponds to a given user;

detecting a transition to said given presence state subsequent to said storing; and

performing said instant messaging operation in response to said detecting.

11. A computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to:

store schedule information corresponding to a given user, wherein said schedule information is indicative of an activity status of said given user at a given time;

query said schedule information; and

if a current presence state of an instant messenger does not correspond to said activity status indicated by said schedule information, assign a different presence state that corresponds to said activity status in response to said querying, wherein said current presence state and said different presence state each correspond to said given user.

12. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein storing said schedule information corresponding to said given user comprises providing a calendar application.

13. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 12, wherein said calendar application is compliant with the Internet Calendaring and Scheduling Core Object Specification standard (RFC 2445).

14. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 12, wherein querying said schedule information comprises accessing said calendar application via a uniform resource locator (URL).

15. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to an engaged state in response to detecting an engaged activity status of said given user.

16. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to an online state in response to detecting an available activity status of said given user.

17. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to a state determined by said schedule information.

18. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said program instructions are further computer-executable to:

detect a computer system activity level indicative of computer system activity;

determine whether said activity level exceeds an activity threshold in response to said detecting; and

transition a presence state of said instant messenger to a busy state in response to determining that said activity level exceeds said activity threshold, wherein said presence state corresponds to a given user.

19. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said program instructions are further computer-executable to:

receive an instant messaging operation directed to a given user, wherein said given user is not offline;

determine a presence state of said instant messenger in response to receiving said instant messaging operation; and

selectively process said instant messaging operation dependent upon said presence state in response to said determining.

20. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said program instructions are further computer-executable to:

store an instant messaging operation associated with a given presence state of said instant messenger, wherein said given presence state corresponds to a given user;

detect a transition to said given presence state subsequent to said storing; and

perform said instant messaging operation in response to said detecting.

21. A system, comprising:

a computer system;

an instant messenger software module configured to execute on said computer system; and

a calendar application software module configured to store schedule information corresponding to a given user, wherein said schedule information is indicative of an activity status of said given user at a given time, and further configured to respond to queries of said schedule information from said instant messenger software module;

wherein said instant messenger software module is further configured to;

query said schedule information; and

if a current presence state of said instant messenger software module does not correspond to said activity status indicated by said schedule information, assign a different presence state that corresponds to said activity status in response to said querying, wherein said current presence state and said different presence state each correspond to said given user.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said calendar application software module and said instant messenger software module are integrated into a common software module.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said calendar application software module is compliant with the Internet Calendaring and Scheduling Core Object Specification standard (RFC 2445).

24. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said instant messenger software module is further configured to access said calendar application software module via a uniform resource locator (URL).

25. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to an engaged state in response to detecting an engaged activity status of said given user.

26. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to an online state in response to detecting an available activity status of said given user.

27. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to a state determined by said schedule information.

28. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said instant messenger software module is further configured to:

detect a computer system activity level indicative of computer system activity;

determine whether said activity level exceeds an activity threshold in response to said detecting; and

transition a presence state of said instant messenger software module to a busy state in response to determining that said activity level exceeds said activity threshold, wherein said presence state corresponds to a given user.

29. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said instant messenger software module is further configured to:

receive an instant messaging operation directed to a given user, wherein said given user is not offline;

determine a presence state of said instant messenger software module in response to receiving said instant messaging operation; and

selectively process said instant messaging operation dependent upon said presence state in response to said determining.

30. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said instant messenger software module is further configured to:

store an instant messaging operation associated with a given presence state of said instant messenger software module, wherein said given presence state corresponds to a given user;

detect a transition to said given presence state subsequent to said storing; and

perform said instant messaging operation in response to said detecting.