Providing Parameterized Actionable Communication Messages Via an Electronic Communication

• US 20130159432A1
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Deering, Christopher, Zhang, Qian
• Granted Patent: US 9,569,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A method, an apparatus and computer readable storage media facilitate initiating an actionable message at a computing device in response to input of a defined sequence of characters at the computing device, and executing an action associated with the initiated actionable message in accordance with information that is specific to the actionable message.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initiating an actionable message at a computing device in response to input of a defined sequence of characters at the computing device; and

executing an action associated with the initiated actionable message in accordance with information that is specific to the actionable message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating input of at least one parameter including information associated with the action to be executed in relation to the actionable message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the defined sequence of characters being input, generating an icon associated with the actionable message that is displayed on at least one of the computing device and another computing device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

engaging in a communication session including at least a first computing device and a second computing device;

wherein the actionable message is initiated at the first computing device and sent to the second computing device via the communication session, and the icon is generated at the second computing device in response to receiving the actionable message from the first computing device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein executing comprises executing the action in response to a user of the second computing device clicking on the icon.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein executing comprises executing the action by a user of the first computing device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein executing the action comprises establishing a second communication session between at least the first and second computing devices that is different from the communication session within which the actionable message is sent, wherein the second communication session is established based upon the information that is specific to the actionable message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the actionable message is sent from the first computing device to the second computing device via an instant messaging communication session, and the second communication session that is initiated comprises at least one of an audio communication session and a video communication session between at least the first and second computing devices.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information that is specific to the actionable message comprises a phone number associated with the first computing device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the information that is specific to the actionable message comprises information that enables a video conference meeting between the first and second computing devices.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions including a communication application; and

a processor configured to execute and control operations of the communication application so as to;

initiate an actionable message in response to input of a defined sequence of characters; and

facilitate an input of at least one parameter including information associated with an action to be taken in relation to the actionable message; and

execute an action associated with the initiated actionable message in accordance with information that is specific to the actionable message.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to generate an icon for display in response to the defined sequence of characters being input.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a network interface unit that is configured to enable communication with at least one other computing device over a network.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

facilitate engagement in a communication session with a computing device over the network; and

transmit the initiated actionable message to the computing device during the communication session.

15. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an actionable message from the computing device during the communication session, wherein the actionable message comprises an icon that is displayed by the apparatus; and

in response to the actionable message being activated at the apparatus, execute an action associated with the activated actionable message.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to execute the action associated with the initiated actionable message by establishing a second communication session between with a second computing device that is different from the communication session within which the actionable message is transmitted, wherein the second communication session is established based upon the information that is specific to the actionable message.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured such that the communication engaged with the computing device during which the actionable message is transmitted comprises an instant messaging communication session, and the second communication session comprises at least one of an audio communication session and a video communication session between with the second computing device.

18. One or more computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:

initiate an actionable message at a computing device in response to input of a defined sequence of characters at the computing device;

facilitate input of at least one parameter including information associated with an action to be taken in relation to the actionable message; and

execute an action associated with the initiated actionable message in accordance with information that is specific to the actionable message.

19. The computer readable storage media of claim 18, and further comprising instructions that are operable to generate an icon in response to the defined sequence of characters being input, wherein the icon is associated with the actionable message and is to be displayed on at least one of the computing device and another computing device.

20. The computer readable storage media of claim 19, and further comprising instructions that are operable to:

engage in a communication session including at least a first computing device and a second computing device;

wherein the actionable message is initiated at the first computing device and sent to the second computing device via the communication session, and the icon is generated at the second computing device in response to receiving the actionable message from the first computing device.

21. The computer readable storage media of claim 20, wherein the instructions operable to execute action comprise instructions responsive to a user of the second computing device clicking on the icon.

22. The computer readable storage media of claim 20, wherein the instructions operable to execute the action comprise instructions operable to execute the action by a user of the first computing device.

23. The computer readable storage media of claim 19, wherein the instructions operable to execute the action comprises instructions operable to establish a second communication session between at least the first and second computing devices that is different from the communication session within which the actionable message is sent, wherein the second communication session is established based upon the information that is specific to the actionable message.

24. The computer readable storage media of claim 22, wherein the actionable message is sent from the first computing device to the second computing device via an instant messaging communication session, and the second communication session that is initiated comprises at least one of an audio communication session and a video communication session between at least the first and second computing devices.

25. The computer readable storage media of claim 24, wherein the information that is specific to the actionable message comprises a phone number associated with the first computing device.

26. The computer readable storage media of claim 24, wherein the information that is specific to the actionable message comprises information that enables a video conference meeting between the first and second computing devices.