Context-Sensitive Auto-Responder

• US 20130097269A1
• Filed: 12/09/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yagi Corp (Yagi Agency Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Yagi Corp (Yagi Agency Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Plotkin, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,065,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72484 wherein functions are triggered by incoming communication events
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

In response to detecting an incoming message (such as an email message, a text message, or a voice message) sent by a sender to a recipient, a computer system determines whether a current context of the recipient satisfies a condition. If the current context of the recipient satisfies the condition, then the system selects a response message based on the current context and sends the response message to the sender. The system'"'"'s decision about whether to respond automatically to subsequent messages sent to the recipient may vary as the recipient'"'"'s context changes. Furthermore, the system may select and send different response messages based on changes in the recipient'"'"'s context.

Claims

1. A method performed by at least one computer processor executing computer program instructions tangibly stored on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium, the method comprising:

(A) detecting a first incoming message, wherein the first incoming message is associated with a first sender and a first recipient;

(B) identifying first context data associated with the first recipient at a first time;

(C) selecting a first response message based on the first context data;

(D) sending the first response message to the first sender;

(E) detecting a second incoming message, wherein the second incoming message is associated with the first sender and the first recipient;

(F) identifying second context data associated with the first recipient at a second time, wherein the second context data differs from the first context data;

(G) selecting a second response message based on the second context data, wherein the first response message differs from the second response message; and

(H) sending the second response message to the first sender;

wherein (C) comprises selecting the first response message independently of content of the first incoming message and;

wherein (G) comprises selecting the second response message independently of content of the second incoming message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (C) comprises generating the first response message based on the first context data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (C) comprises:

(C)(1) before (A), receiving response template data including;

(a) fixed content specification data; and

(2) variable content specification data;

(C)(2) after (B), generating the first response message based on the first context data, comprising;

(C)(2)(a) including, in the first response message, data derived from the fixed content specification data independently of the first context data; and

(C)(2)(b) including, in the first response message, data derived from the variable content specification and the first context data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein (C) comprises selecting the first response message based on the first time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein (C) comprises selecting the first response message based on an appointment associated with the first recipient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein (C) comprises:

(C)(1) identifying a first task performed by a device associated with the first recipient at the first time; and

(C)(2) selecting the first response message based on the first task.

7. The method of claim 1:

wherein (A) comprises detecting a first incoming message transmitted via a first communication mode; and

wherein (D) comprises sending the first response message to the first sender via the first communication mode.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

(I) generating a derived message based on the first incoming message; and

(J) transmitting the derived message to a second recipient via a second communication mode that differs from the first communication mode.

9. The method of claim 1:

wherein (A) comprises detecting a first incoming message transmitted via a first communication mode; and

wherein (D) comprises sending the first response message to the first sender via a second communication mode that differs from the first communication mode.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(I) deferring transmission of the first incoming message to a device associated with the first recipient.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(I) deferring notification to the first recipient of receipt of the first incoming message.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(I) deferring manifestation of the first incoming message.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(I) forwarding the first incoming message to a second recipient.

14. The method of claim 1:

wherein (A) comprises detecting transmission of the first incoming message via a first communication mode; and

wherein the method further comprises;

(I) generating a derived message from the first incoming message; and

(J) transmitting the derived message to the first recipient via a second communication mode that differs from the first communication mode.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(E) determining whether a first condition is satisfied by the first context data;

wherein (C) comprises selecting the first response message in response to determining that the first condition is satisfied by the first context data; and

wherein (D) comprises sending the first response message to the first sender in response to determining that the first condition is satisfied by the first context data.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program instructions tangibly stored on the computer-readable medium, wherein the instructions are executable by at least one computer processor to perform a method comprising:

(A) detecting a first incoming message, wherein the first incoming message is associated with a first sender and a first recipient;

(B) identifying first context data associated with the first recipient at a first time;

(C) selecting a first response message based on the first context data;

(D) sending the first response message to the first sender;

(E) detecting a second incoming message, wherein the second incoming message is associated with the first sender and the first recipient;

(F) identifying second context data associated with the first recipient at a second time, wherein the second context data differs from the first context data;

(G) selecting a second response message based on the second context data, wherein the first response message differs from the second response message; and

(H) sending the second response message to the first sender;

wherein (C) comprises selecting the first response message independently of content of the first incoming message and;

wherein (G) comprises selecting the second response message independently of content of the second incoming message.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein (C) comprises generating the first response message based on the first context data.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein (C) comprises:

(C)(1) before (A), receiving response template data including;

(a) fixed content specification data; and

(2) variable content specification data;

(C)(2) after (B), generating the first response message based on the first context data, comprising;

(C)(2)(a) including, in the first response message, data derived from the fixed content specification data independently of the first context data; and

(C)(2)(b) including, in the first response message, data derived from the variable content specification and the first context data.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein (C) comprises selecting the first response message based on the first time.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein (C) comprises selecting the first response message based on an appointment associated with the first recipient.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein (C) comprises:

(C)(1) identifying a first task performed by a device associated with the first recipient at the first time; and

(C)(2) selecting the first response message based on the first task.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 16:

wherein (A) comprises detecting a first incoming message transmitted via a first communication mode; and

wherein (D) comprises sending the first response message to the first sender via the first communication mode.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises:

(I) generating a derived message based on the first incoming message; and

(J) transmitting the derived message to a second recipient via a second communication mode that differs from the first communication mode.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 16:

wherein (A) comprises detecting a first incoming message transmitted via a first communication mode; and

wherein (D) comprises sending the first response message to the first sender via a second communication mode that differs from the first communication mode.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

(I) deferring transmission of the first incoming message to a device associated with the first recipient.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

(I) deferring notification to the first recipient of receipt of the first incoming message.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

(I) deferring manifestation of the first incoming message.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

(I) forwarding the first incoming message to a second recipient.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 16:

wherein (A) comprises detecting transmission of the first incoming message via a first communication mode; and

wherein the method further comprises;

(I) generating a derived message from the first incoming message; and

(J) transmitting the derived message to the first recipient via a second communication mode that differs from the first communication mode.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

(E) determining whether a first condition is satisfied by the first context data;

wherein (C) comprises selecting the first response message in response to determining that the first condition is satisfied by the first context data; and

wherein (D) comprises sending the first response message to the first sender in response to determining that the first condition is satisfied by the first context data.