GATHERING CONTEXT INFORMATION FOR A COMMUNICATION

• US 20130346524A1
• Filed: 07/29/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barlow, William C., Christensen, James E., Schirmer, Andrew L., Bulut, Muhammed F., Marshak, David S., Travis, Amy D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,479,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]

Abstract

A computer receives a first information related to a communication sent to a user device of a second person. The computer determines a user device of a first person using the first information. The computer sends a context information request to the user device of the first person. The computer receives a context information reply responsive to the context information request. The computer sends context information of the context information reply to the user device of the second person. The computer releases the communication to the user device of the second person.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first information related to a communication sent to a user device of a second person;

determining a user device of a first person using the first information;

sending a context information request to the user device of the first person;

receiving a context information reply responsive to the context information request; and

sending context information of the context information reply to the user device of the second person.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

releasing the communication to the user device of the second person.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication was sent from the user device of the first person.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the user device of the first person includes determining that the user device of the first person is equipped to surface a suitable interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the suitable interface includes a text interface, an audio interface, or a video interface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining whether the context information of the context information reply is inadequate.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

responsive to the determining whether the context information of the context information reply is inadequate, resending the context information request to the user device of the first person.