Collaborative contact management

• US 20070130256A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maplebear Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jania, Frank, Moore, Martin, Goodman, Brian, Kebinger, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,558,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A solution for managing a set of collaborative contacts is provided. Each collaborative contact includes one or more collaboration capabities, each of which corresponds to a unique collaboration tool (e.g., voice over IP, instant messaging, email, and/or the like). Identifying text can be used to search the set of collaborative conatacts and obtain a set of candidate contacts. An availabilty status for each collaboration capability of each candidate contact can be requested and a display can be generated that includes the set of candidate contacts. In one embodiment, the display can include an indication of the collaboration capabilities for one or more of the candidate contacts, and/or the availablility status for one or more collaboration capabilities. A user can use the display to request a collaboration session between the user and one or more of the candidate contacts.

Claims

1. A method of managing a set of collaborative contacts, the method comprising:

obtaining identifying text;

obtaining a set of candidate contacts from the set of collaborative contacts using the identifying text, each candidate contact including a set of collaboration capabilities, each collaboration capability corresponding to a unique collaboration tool;

requesting an availability status for each collaboration capability of each candidate contact; and

generating a display that includes the set of candidate contacts.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining an additional character for the identifying text;

filtering the set of candidate contacts based on the additional character; and

updating the display based on the filtering.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the availability status for at least one collaboration capability of at least one candidate contact.

4. The method of claim 1, the generating including displaying an indication of at least one of:

a collaboration capability or an availability status for at least one candidate contact.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a set of selected contacts the set of selected contacts comprising a subset of the set of candidate contacts; and

requesting a collaboration session with each selected contact in the set of selected contacts.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising identifying at least one collaboration tool for the collaboration session.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising conducting the collaboration session with each of the set of selected contacts.

8. The method of claim 7, the conducting including integrating a plurality of collaboration tools for the collaboration session.

9. A system for managing a set of collaborative contacts, the system comprising:

a system for obtaining a set of candidate contacts from the set of collaborative contacts, each candidate contact including at least one of a plurality of collaboration capabilities, each collaboration capability corresponding to a unique collaboration tool;

a system for requesting an availability status for each collaboration capability of each candidate contact; and

a system for generating a display that includes the set of candidate contacts.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a system for receiving collaboration information on a collaborative contact from a collaboration tool; and

a system for updating the set of collaborative contacts based on the collaboration information.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a system for receiving the availability status for at least one collaboration capability for at least one candidate contact.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a system for obtaining a set of selected contacts, the set of selected contacts comprising a subset of the set of candidate contacts;

a system for identifying at least one collaboration tool for the collaboration session; and

a system for requesting a collaboration session with each selected contact in the set of selected contacts.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a system for conducting the collaboration session with each of the set of selected contacts.

14. The system of claim 13, the system for conducting including a system for integrating a plurality of collaboration tools for the collaboration session.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising a system for obtaining identifying text, the system for obtaining using the identifying text.

16. A program product stored on a computer-readable medium, which when executed, enables a computer infrastructure to manage a set of collaborative contacts, the program product comprising computer program code for enabling the computer infrastructure to:

obtain identifying text for the collaborative contact;

obtain a set of candidate contacts from the set of collaborative contacts using the identifying text, each candidate contact including a set of collaboration capabilities, each collaboration capability corresponding to a unique collaboration tool;

request an availability status for each collaboration capability of each candidate contact; and

generate a display that includes the set of candidate contacts.

17. The program product of claim 16, further comprising computer program code for enabling the computer infrastructure to:

receive the availability status for a collaboration capability for a candidate contact; and

update the display based on the availability status.

18. The program product of claim 16, further comprising computer program code for enabling the computer infrastructure to:

obtain a set of selected contacts, the set of selected contacts comprising a subset of the set of candidate contacts;

identify at least one collaboration tool for a collaboration session; and

request the collaboration session with each selected contact in the set of selected contacts.

19. The program product of claim 18, further comprising computer program code for enabling the computer infrastructure to conduct the collaboration session with each of the set of selected contacts.

20. A method of generating a system for managing a set of collaborative contacts, the method comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure operable to;

obtain identifying text;

obtain a set of candidate contacts from the set of collaborative contacts using the identifying text, each candidate contact including a set of collaboration capabilities, each collaboration capability corresponding to a unique collaboration tool;

request an availability status for each collaboration capability of each candidate contact; and

generate a display that includes the set of candidate contacts.