System and method for automatic population of instant messenger lists

• US 7,200,638 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lake, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar; Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong; Oanh
• Application Number:
  US10/684,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709203-206, 709/217, 709/219, 709/224, 709/245, 707/10, 707/3, 455/432.1, 715/758
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A system and method that automatically adds contacts to a user'"'"'s instant messaging buddy list is provided. The contacts are added based upon existing database (i.e., directory) information as well as meeting information extracted from the user'"'"'s calendar. The list of calendar contacts is included with the user'"'"'s calendar. This list is used to automatically populate the user'"'"'s buddy list. In one embodiment, a buddy list “group” is initialized for calendar entries. Contacts are also added to a user'"'"'s buddy list through database queries. The group of contacts resulting from the query are then added to the user'"'"'s buddy list. Contacts added to the user'"'"'s buddy list through the user'"'"'s calendar or through database queries can be made permanent or temporary. Temporary contacts are automatically removed after a specified period of time.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing an instant messenger list, said method comprising:

selecting, by a user, one or more calendar entries from an electronic calendar that corresponds to the user, wherein the selected one or more calendar entries appear highlighted;

retrieving, from the selected one or more calendar entries, calendar data that includes contact data for a plurality of contacts corresponding to the selected one or more calendar entries;

adding the retrieved contact data to the instant messenger list associated with an instant messaging computer application used by the user;

selecting one of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s instant messenger list;

establishing an instant messaging session with the selected contact;

creating one or more buddy groups within the user'"'"'s instant messenger list by automatically adding the contacts to the one or more buddy groups, wherein the created one or more buddy groups corresponds to the selected one or more calendar entries;

storing the retrieved contact data in the one or more buddy groups, wherein the contact data retrieved includes the contacts'"'"' information;

identifying that at least one of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s instant messenger list is a temporary contact;

storing an expiration date corresponding to each of the temporary contacts;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration dates stored for the temporary contacts; and

in response to the comparison, removing the contact data corresponding to the temporary contacts when the expiration date has occurred.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

prior to the reception of the contact data;

constructing a query of contact information requested by the user; and

performing the query at a database, wherein the database stores the contact information that includes the contact data corresponding to the contacts; and

wherein the contact data received is a result of the performed query.

3. The method as described in claim 2 further comprising:

receiving an expiration date corresponding to the query;

storing the expiration date with the contact data received as a result of the query;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration date; and

removing the contact data in response to the comparison.

4. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

prior to the reception of the contact data;

selecting one or more calendar entries from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user; and

retrieving, from the selected calendar entries, calendar data that includes participant information for participants of the selected calendar entries; and

wherein the contact data received includes the participant information.

5. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

storing an expiration date corresponding to the created buddy group, wherein the expiration date is derived from a date of the selected calendar entry;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration date stored for the buddy group; and

removing the buddy group, including the contact data added to the buddy group, in response to the comparison.

6. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

adding the received contact data to a buddy group included with the buddy list, wherein the buddy group to which the contact data is added is determined by a predefined policy.

7. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by at least one of the processors;

a network interface connecting the information handling system to a computer network;

a software tool for managing an instant messenger list, the software tool including software stored in the memory, when executed by the processor, effective to;

select, by a user of the information handling system, one or more calendar entries from a user'"'"'s electronic calendar, wherein the selected one or more calendar entries appear highlighted;

retrieve, from the selected one or more calendar entries, calendar data that includes contact data corresponding to a plurality of contacts of the selected one or more calendar entries;

add the retrieved contact data to the instant messenger list associated with a user'"'"'s instant messaging computer application used by the user;

select, by the user, one of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s instant messenger list;

establish an instant messaging session with the selected one of the contacts;

create one or more buddy groups within the user'"'"'s instant messenger list by automatically adding the contacts to the one or more buddy groups, wherein the created one or more buddy groups corresponds to the selected one or more calendar entries;

store the retrieved contact data in the one or more buddy groups, wherein the contact data retrieved includes the contacts'"'"' information;

periodically compare a current date to expiration dates stored for temporary contacts; and

in response to the comparison, remove the contact data corresponding to the temporary contacts when the expiration date associated with the contact data has occurred.

8. The information handling system as described in claim 7 further comprising software effective to:

prior to the reception of the contact data;

construct a query of contact information requested by the user; and

perform the query at a database, wherein the database stores the contact information that includes the contact data corresponding to the contacts; and

wherein the contact data received is a result of the performed query.

9. The information handling system as described in claim 8 further comprising software effective to:

receive an expiration date corresponding to the query;

store the expiration date with the contact data received as a result of the query;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration date; and

remove the contact data in response to the comparison.

10. The information handling system as described in claim 7 further comprising software effective to:

prior to the reception of the contact data;

select one or more calendar entries from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user; and

retrieve, from the selected calendar entries, calendar data that includes participant information for participants of the selected calendar entries; and

wherein the contact data received includes the participant information.

11. The information handling system as described in claim 7 further comprising software effective to:

store an expiration date corresponding to the created buddy group, wherein the expiration date is derived from the date of the selected calendar entry;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration date stored for the buddy group; and

remove the buddy group, including the contact data added to the buddy group, in response to the comparison.

12. The information handling system as described in claim 7 further comprising software effective to:

add the received contact data to a buddy group included with the buddy list, wherein the buddy group to which the contact data is added is determined by a predefined policy.

13. A computer program product stored on a computer operable storage media for managing instant messenger list, said computer program product comprising software that, when executed by a data processing system, causes the data processing system to perform actions that include:

selecting, by a user, one or more calendar entries from an electronic calendar that corresponds to the user, wherein the selected one or more calendar entries appear highlighted;

retrieving, from the selected one or more calendar entries, calendar data that includes contact data corresponding to a plurality of contacts of the selected one or more calendar entries;

adding the retrieved contact data to an instant messenger list associated with an instant messaging computer application used by the user;

selecting one of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s instant messenger list;

establishing an instant messaging session with the selected contact;

creating one or more buddy groups within the user'"'"'s instant messenger list by automatically adding the contacts to the one or more buddy groups, wherein the created one or more buddy groups corresponds to the selected one or more calendar entries;

storing the retrieved contact data in the one or more buddy groups, wherein the contact data retrieved includes the contacts'"'"' information;

identifying that at least one of the contacts added to the user'"'"'s instant messenger list is a temporary contact;

storing an expiration date corresponding to each of the temporary contacts;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration dates stored for the temporary contacts; and

in response to the comparison, removing the contact data corresponding the temporary contacts when the expiration date associated with the contact data has occurred.

14. The computer program product as described in claim 13 wherein the software performs further actions comprising:

prior to the retrieving of the contact data;

constructing a query of contact information requested by the user; and

performing the query at a database, wherein the database stores the contact information that includes the contact data corresponding to the contacts; and

wherein the contact data retrieved is a result of the performed query.

15. The computer program product as described in claim 14 wherein the software performs further actions comprising:

receiving an expiration date corresponding to the query;

storing the expiration date with the contact data received as a result of the query;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration date; and

removing the contact data in response to the comparison.

16. The computer program product as described in claim 13 wherein the software performs further actions comprising:

prior to the retrieving of the contact data;

selecting one or more calendar entries from an electronic calendar corresponding to the user; and

retrieving, from the selected calendar entries, calendar data that includes participant information for participants of the selected calendar entries; and

wherein the contact data retrieved includes the participant information.

17. The computer program product as described in claim 13 wherein the software performs further actions comprising:

storing an expiration date corresponding to the created buddy group, wherein the expiration date is derived from the date of the selected calendar entry;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration date stored for the buddy group; and

removing the buddy group, including the contact data added to the buddy group, in response to the comparison.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 13 wherein the software performs further actions comprising:

adding the retrieved contact data to a buddy group included with the buddy list, wherein the buddy group to which the contact data is added is determined by a predefined policy.

19. A computer-implemented method of managing instant messenger list, said method comprising:

selecting, by a user, one or more calendar entries from an electronic calendar that corresponds to the user, wherein the selected one or more calendar entries appear highlighted;

retrieving, from the selected one or more calendar entries, calendar data that includes contact data for a plurality of contacts corresponding to selected one or more calendar entries;

creating one or more buddy groups within the user'"'"'s buddy list by automatically adding the contacts to the one or more buddy groups, wherein the created one or more buddy groups corresponds to the one or more selected calendar entries from the electronic calendar corresponding to the user, and wherein the user'"'"'s buddy list is associated with an instant messaging computer application;

identifying an expiration date of the buddy group, the expiration date derived from a date of the selected one or more calendar entries;

retrieving, from the selected one or more calendar entries, calendar data that includes contact data for participants of the selected one or more calendar entries;

storing the retrieved contact data in the one or more buddy groups, wherein the contact data retrieved includes participant information;

periodically comparing a current date to an expiration date corresponding to the one or more buddy groups; and

removing the one or more buddy groups, including the contact data added to the one or more buddy groups, in response to the comparison.

20. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by at least one of the processors;

a network interface connecting the information handling system to a computer network;

a software tool for managing an instant messenger list, the software tool including software effective to;

select, by a user, one or more calendar entries from an electronic calendar that corresponds to the user, wherein the selected one or more calendar entries appear highlighted;

retrieve, from the selected one or more calendar entries, calendar data that includes contact data for a plurality of contacts of the selected one or more calendar entries;

create one or more buddy groups within a user'"'"'s buddy list by automatically adding the contacts to the one or more buddy groups, wherein the created one or more buddy groups corresponds to the selected one or more calendar entries from the electronic calendar corresponding to the user, and wherein the user'"'"'s buddy list is associated with an instant messaging computer application;

identify an expiration date of each of the one or more buddy groups, the expiration date derived from a date of the selected one or more calendar entries;

retrieve, from the selected one or more calendar entries, calendar data that includes contact data for participants of the selected one or more calendar entries;

store the retrieved contact data in the one or more buddy groups, wherein the contact data retrieved includes the participant information;

periodically compare a current date to the expiration date corresponding to each of the one or more buddy groups; and

remove the one or more buddy groups, including the contact data added to the one or more buddy groups, in response to the comparison.

21. A computer program product stored on a computer operable storage media for managing instant messenger lists, said computer program product comprising software that, when executed by a data processing system, causes the data processing system to perform actions that include:

selecting, by a user, one or more calendar entries from an electronic calendar that corresponds to the user, wherein the selected one or more calendar entries appear highlighted;

in response to the selecting, retrieving, from the selected one or more calendar entries, calendar data that includes contact data for a plurality of contacts of the selected one or more calendar entries;

creating one or more buddy groups within the user'"'"'s buddy list by automatically adding the contacts to the one or more buddy groups, wherein the created one or more buddy groups corresponds to the one or more selected calendar entries from the electronic calendar corresponding to the user, and wherein the user'"'"'s buddy list is associated with an instant messaging computer application;

identifying an expiration date of each of the one or more buddy groups, the expiration date derived from a date of the selected one or more calendar entries;

retrieving, from the selected one or more calendar entries, calendar data that includes contact data for participants of the selected one or more calendar entries;

storing the retrieved contact data in the one or more buddy groups, wherein the contact data retrieved includes participant information;

periodically comparing a current date to the expiration date corresponding to each of the buddy groups; and

removing each of the buddy groups, including the contact data added to the buddy groups, in response to the comparison.