System and method for automatic population of instant messenger lists

• US 20050080859A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lake, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,200,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A system and method that automatically adds contacts to a user'"'"'s instant messaging buddy list is provided. The contacts are added based upon existing database (i.e., directory) information as well as meeting information extracted from the user'"'"'s calendar. The list of calendar contacts is included with the user'"'"'s calendar. This list is used to automatically populate the user'"'"'s buddy list. In one embodiment, a buddy list “group” is initialized for calendar entries. Contacts are also added to a user'"'"'s buddy list through database queries. The group of contacts resulting from the query are then added to the user'"'"'s buddy list. Contacts added to the user'"'"'s buddy list through the user'"'"'s calendar or through database queries can be made permanent or temporary. Temporary contacts are automatically removed after a specified period of time.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing instant messenger lists, said method comprising:

receiving, from one or more computerized sources, contact data corresponding to a plurality of contacts;

adding the received contact data to a buddy list associated with a user'"'"'s instant messaging computer application;

selecting one of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s buddy list; and

establishing an instant messaging session with the selected contact.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

indicating that one or more of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s buddy list is a temporary contact;

storing an expiration date corresponding to each of the temporary contacts;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration dates stored for the temporary contacts; and

removing the contact data corresponding to the temporary contacts in response to the comparison.

3. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

prior to the reception of the contact data;

constructing a query of contact information requested by the user; and

performing the query at a database, wherein the database stores the contact information that includes the contact data corresponding to the contacts; and

wherein the contact data received is a result of the performed query.

4. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an expiration date corresponding to the query;

storing the expiration date with the contact data received as a result of the query;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration date; and

removing the contact data in response to the comparison.

5. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

prior to the reception of the contact data;

selecting one or more calendar entries from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user; and

retrieving, from the selected calendar entries, calendar data that includes participant information for participants of the selected calendar entries; and

wherein the contact data received includes the participant information.

6. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

creating a buddy group within the user'"'"'s buddy list, wherein the created buddy group corresponds to a selected calendar entry from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user;

prior to the reception of the contact data;

selecting the calendar entry from the user'"'"'s electronic calendar; and

retrieving, from the selected calendar entry, calendar data that includes participant information for participants of the selected calendar entry; and

subsequent to the reception of the contact data;

storing the received contact data in the buddy group, wherein the contact data received includes the participant information.

7. The method as described in claim 6 further comprising:

storing an expiration date corresponding to the created buddy group, wherein the expiration date is derived from the date of the selected calendar entry;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration date stored for the buddy group; and

removing the buddy group, including the contact data added to the buddy group, in response to the comparison.

8. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

adding the received contact data to a buddy group included with the buddy list, wherein the buddy group to which the contact data is added is determined by a predefined policy.

9. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a network interface connecting the information handling system to a computer network;

a software tool for managing instant messenger lists, the software tool including software effective to;

receive, from one or more computerized sources, contact data corresponding to a plurality of contacts;

add the received contact data to a buddy list associated with a user'"'"'s instant messaging computer application;

select one of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s buddy list; and

establish an instant messaging session with the selected contact.

10. The information handling system as described in claim 9 further comprising software effective to:

indicate that one or more of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s buddy list is a temporary contact;

store an expiration date corresponding to each of the temporary contacts;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration dates stored for the temporary contacts; and

remove the contact data corresponding to the temporary contacts in response to the comparison.

11. The information handling system as described in claim 9 further comprising software effective to:

prior to the reception of the contact data;

construct a query of contact information requested by the user; and

perform the query at a database, wherein the database stores the contact information that includes the contact data corresponding to the contacts; and

wherein the contact data received is a result of the performed query.

12. The information handling system as described in claim 9 further comprising software effective to:

receive an expiration date corresponding to the query;

store the expiration date with the contact data received as a result of the query;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration date; and

remove the contact data in response to the comparison.

13. The information handling system as described in claim 9 further comprising software effective to:

prior to the reception of the contact data;

select one or more calendar entries from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user; and

retrieve, from the selected calendar entries, calendar data that includes participant information for participants of the selected calendar entries; and

wherein the contact data received includes the participant information.

14. The information handling system as described in claim 9 further comprising software effective to:

create a buddy group within the user'"'"'s buddy list, wherein the created buddy group corresponds to a selected calendar entry from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user;

prior to the reception of the contact data;

select the calendar entry from the user'"'"'s electronic calendar; and

retrieve, from the selected calendar entry, calendar data that includes participant information for participants of the selected calendar entry; and

subsequent to the reception of the contact data;

store the received contact data in the buddy group, wherein the contact data received includes the participant information

15. The information handling system as described in claim 14 further comprising software effective to:

store an expiration date corresponding to the created buddy group, wherein the expiration date is derived from the date of the selected calendar entry;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration date stored for the buddy group; and

remove the buddy group, including the contact data added to the buddy group, in response to the comparison.

16. The information handling system as described in claim 9 further comprising software effective to:

add the received contact data to a buddy group included with the buddy list, wherein the buddy group to which the contact data is added is determined by a predefined policy.

17. A computer program product stored on a computer operable media for managing instant messenger lists, said computer program product comprising software effective to:

receive, from one or more computerized sources, contact data corresponding to a plurality of contacts;

add the received contact data to a buddy list associated with a user'"'"'s instant messaging computer application;

select one of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s buddy list; and

establish an instant messaging session with the selected contact.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further comprising software effective to:

indicate that one or more of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s buddy list is a temporary contact;

store an expiration date corresponding to each of the temporary contacts;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration dates stored for the temporary contacts; and

remove the contact data corresponding to the temporary contacts in response to the comparison.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further comprising software effective to:

prior to the reception of the contact data;

construct a query of contact information requested by the user; and

perform the query at a database, wherein the database stores the contact information that includes the contact data corresponding to the contacts; and

wherein the contact data received is a result of the performed query.

20. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further comprising software effective to:

receive an expiration date corresponding to the query;

store the expiration date with the contact data received as a result of the query;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration date; and

remove the contact data in response to the comparison.

21. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further comprising software effective to:

prior to the reception of the contact data;

select one or more calendar entries from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user; and

retrieve, from the selected calendar entries, calendar data that includes participant information for participants of the selected calendar entries; and

wherein the contact data received includes the participant information.

22. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further comprising software effective to:

create a buddy group within the user'"'"'s buddy list, wherein the created buddy group corresponds to a selected calendar entry from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user;

prior to the reception of the contact data;

select the calendar entry from the user'"'"'s electronic calendar; and

retrieve, from the selected calendar entry, calendar data that includes participant information for participants of the selected calendar entry; and

subsequent to the reception of the contact data;

store the received contact data in the buddy group, wherein the contact data received includes the participant information

23. The computer program product as described in claim 22 further comprising software effective to:

store an expiration date corresponding to the created buddy group, wherein the expiration date is derived from the date of the selected calendar entry;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration date stored for the buddy group; and

remove the buddy group, including the contact data added to the buddy group, in response to the comparison.

24. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further comprising software effective to:

add the received contact data to a buddy group included with the buddy list, wherein the buddy group to which the contact data is added is determined by a predefined policy.

25. A computer-implemented method of managing instant messenger lists, said method comprising:

receiving, from one or more computerized sources, contact data corresponding to a plurality of contacts;

adding the received contact data to a buddy list associated with a user'"'"'s instant messaging computer application;

indicating that one or more of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s buddy list is a temporary contact;

storing an expiration date corresponding to each of the temporary contacts;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration dates stored for the temporary contacts; and

removing the contact data corresponding to the temporary contacts in response to the comparison.

26. A computer-implemented method of managing instant messenger lists, said method comprising:

creating a buddy group within a user'"'"'s buddy list, wherein the created buddy group corresponds to a selected calendar entry from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user, and wherein the user'"'"'s buddy list is associated with an instant messaging computer application;

identifying an expiration date of the buddy group, the expiration date derived from the date of the selected calendar entry;

retrieving, from the selected calendar entry, calendar data that includes contact data for participants of the selected calendar entry;

storing the received contact data in the buddy group, wherein the contact data received includes the participant information;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration date corresponding to the buddy group; and

removing the buddy group, including the contact data added to the buddy group, in response to the comparison.

27. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a network interface connecting the information handling system to a computer network;

a software tool for managing instant messenger lists, the software tool including software effective to;

receive, from one or more computerized sources, contact data corresponding to a plurality of contacts;

add the received contact data to a buddy list associated with a user'"'"'s instant messaging computer application;

indicate that one or more of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s buddy list is a temporary contact;

store an expiration date corresponding to each of the temporary contacts;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration dates stored for the temporary contacts; and

remove the contact data corresponding to the temporary contacts in response to the comparison.

28. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a network interface connecting the information handling system to a computer network;

a software tool for managing instant messenger lists, the software tool including software effective to;

create a buddy group within a user'"'"'s buddy list, wherein the created buddy group corresponds to a selected calendar entry from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user, and wherein the user'"'"'s buddy list is associated with an instant messaging computer application;

identify an expiration date of the buddy group, the expiration date derived from the date of the selected calendar entry;

retrieve, from the selected calendar entry, calendar data that includes contact data for participants of the selected calendar entry;

store the received contact data in the buddy group, wherein the contact data received includes the participant information;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration date corresponding to the buddy group; and

remove the buddy group, including the contact data added to the buddy group, in response to the comparison.

29. A computer program product stored on a computer operable media for managing instant messenger lists, said computer program product comprising software effective to:

receive, from one or more computerized sources, contact data corresponding to a plurality of contacts;

add the received contact data to a buddy list associated with a user'"'"'s instant messaging computer application;

indicate that one or more of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s buddy list is a temporary contact;

store an expiration date corresponding to each of the temporary contacts;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration dates stored for the temporary contacts; and

remove the contact data corresponding to the temporary contacts in response to the comparison.

30. A computer program product stored on a computer operable media for managing instant messenger lists, said computer program product comprising software effective to:

create a buddy group within a user'"'"'s buddy list, wherein the created buddy group corresponds to a selected calendar entry from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user, and wherein the user'"'"'s buddy list is associated with an instant messaging computer application;

identify an expiration date of the buddy group, the expiration date derived from the date of the selected calendar entry;

retrieve, from the selected calendar entry, calendar data that includes contact data for participants of the selected calendar entry;

store the received contact data in the buddy group, wherein the contact data received includes the participant information;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration date corresponding to the buddy group; and

remove the buddy group, including the contact data added to the buddy group, in response to the comparison.