COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD, TOOL, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR AUTOMATICALLY REPLYING TO AN INSTANT MESSAGE

• US 20070260694A1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Hamilton, Rick, Boss, Gregory, Waters, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 9,252,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services

Abstract

The present invention provides a computer-implemented method, system, tool, and program product for sending a customized reply to an instant message. Specifically, under the present invention, a customized message may be provided for a specific instant messaging contact/availability status combination. When the availability status is selected and a message is received from the instant messaging contact, the customized message is automatically sent to the messaging contact. The invention may also be integrated into a calendaring application to determine, for example, whether the message recipient is in a meeting and, if so, to automatically send a reply that gives an estimated ending time for the meeting.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for replying to an instant message, comprising:

providing an instant messaging contact;

providing an availability status of an instant message receiver;

providing a customized message corresponding to the instant messaging contact and the availability status;

receiving a selection of the availability status; and

automatically sending the customized message to the instant messaging contact in response to the instant message having been received from the instant messaging contact.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the instant messaging contact is an individual.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the instant messaging contact is a group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the availability status is selected from the group consisting of active, away, do not disturb, not online, and meeting.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining with the availability status of meeting having been indicated whether the instant messaging contact is a participant in a meeting; and

allowing the message to be delivered if the determination is positive.

6. A computer-implemented system for replying to an instant message, comprising:

an initialization system, comprising;

means for providing an instant messaging contact;

means for providing an availability status of an instant message receiver; and

means for providing a customized message corresponding to the instant messaging contact and the availability status;

an availability status selection system for receiving a selection of the availability status; and

an instant message response system for automatically sending the customized message to the instant messaging contact in response to the instant message having been received from the instant messaging contact.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the instant messaging contact is an individual.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the instant messaging contact is a group.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the availability status is selected from the group consisting of active, away, do not disturb, not online, and meeting.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

means for determining with the availability status of meeting having been indicated whether the instant messaging contact is a participant in a meeting; and

means for allowing the message to be delivered if the determination is positive.

11. A program product stored on a computer readable medium for replying to an instant message, the computer readable medium comprising program code for causing a computer system to perform the following steps:

providing an instant messaging contact;

providing an availability status of an instant message receiver;

providing a customized message corresponding to the instant messaging contact and the availability status;

receiving a selection of the availability status; and

automatically sending the customized message to the instant messaging contact in response to the instant message having been received from the instant messaging contact.

12. The program product of claim 11, wherein the instant messaging contact is an individual.

13. The program product of claim 11, wherein the instant messaging contact is a group.

14. The program product method of claim 11, wherein the availability status is selected from the group consisting of active, away, do not disturb, not online, and meeting.

15. The program product of claim 11, the program code further causing the computer system to perform the following steps:

determining with the availability status of meeting having been indicated whether the instant messaging contact is a participant in a meeting; and

allowing the message to be delivered if the determination is positive.

16. A method for deploying an application for replying to an instant message, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

provide an instant messaging contact;

provide an availability status of an instant message receiver;

provide a customized message corresponding to the instant messaging contact and the availability status;

receive a selection of the availability status; and

automatically send the customized message to the instant messaging contact in response to the instant message having been received from the instant messaging contact.