Method, system and computer program product for enabling electronic chat with online calendar invitees

• US 7,739,340 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twitter Inc (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Shivanth, Barillaud, Franck, Arenburg, Robert Thomas, Cobb, Bradford Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Daftuar; Saket K
• Application Number:
  US11/533,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207, 715/751
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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

Abstract

A Meeting Attendee Instant Messaging (MAIM) utility is provided and embeds Instant Messaging (IM) functionality in a calendaring software. When a meeting request is sent out from the calendaring application, the request receives invitee responses, which automatically populates a Meeting Invitee Status Display (MISD). The MISD graphically illustrates which invitees have accepted the request to the meeting (i.e., attendees), and also provides an indication of a current IM status of each attendee to the meeting. The meeting facilitator may optionally select specific attendees or all attendees and initiate a one-to-one or group IM chat session with the selected attendees to begin a chat. The group IM session chat is initiated from within the MISD without providing the meeting facilitator with anything other than the e-mail addresses or e-mail IDs of the attendees.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method implemented on a computer and/or communication device comprising:

a processor generating an electronic notice of a meeting within an electronic calendaring application;

transmitting the electronic notice to one or more electronic accounts via corresponding electronic addresses from an electronic mail application to which the electronic calendaring application is linked, wherein the transmitting of the electronic notice occurs via electronic mail;

storing meeting particulars including an electronic account identifier (ID) of each of the one or more electronic accounts to which the electronic notice was transmitted;

linking a corresponding instant messaging (IM) ID with each electronic account ID, wherein the IM ID is retrieved from an IM service accessible on the computer and/or communication device or is received in a reply message to the electronic notice;

generating a meeting invitee status display (MISD) that indicates (a) a listing of the one or more electronic account IDs;

(b) a reply status of the one or more electronic account IDs to the electronic notice of the meeting; and

(c) a current online status of each IM ID linked to the one or more electronic account IDs;

when a reply message is received to the electronic notice, updating the MISD by linking the corresponding IM ID within an IM ID status field of the MISD that tracks an online status of the IM ID within the IM service, such that the online status is reflected within the calendaring application;

providing within the MISD a selection mechanism to initiate a specific type of IM communication via the IM service;

enabling initiation of an IM session from an interface of the electronic calendaring application using the electronic account ID, which is presented within the interface and is linked to the corresponding IM ID to enable the IM session over the IM service to be initiated via (a) a selection of the electronic account ID and (b) a request provided within the MISD on the calendaring application to trigger initiation of the IM session via the IM service; and

enabling completion of one or more of several functions with one or more of the electronic account IDs, from among;

printing a list of electronic account IDs notified of the meeting along with the reply status;

activating an IM chat session;

activating a video conference with electronic account IDs having corresponding IM IDs that are currently logged in;

forwarding an automatic IM reminder of the meeting via the IM service; and

completing a pre-programmed user function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said processor generating an electronic notice is completed via execution of a calendaring utility on the computer device; and

said initiating an IM session is completed via an IM client on the computer device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said initiating an IM session comprises:

automatically logging into the IM client;

opening an IM chat with the IM ID corresponding to the electronic account ID; and

when more than one electronic account IDs are associated with the initiating of the IM session, opening an IM group chat with the corresponding IM IDs linked to the more than one electronic account IDs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating an electronic notice comprises:

generating the electronic notice with a response function that returns a corresponding IM ID within a response message received from the electronic account, said response function including;

prompting for a reply message including a “

chat available”

response;

prompting for input of the IM ID in the response message; and

when an electronic account is configured with an e-mail preference set to provide an IM status with a display of the electronic account ID, tagging the chat available response with an IM attribute enabling linking of the associated IM ID to the electronic account;

wherein IM IDs that are not available via the computer and/or communication device for linking to the electronic account IDs are retrieved from the response message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said linking further comprises:

automatically linking the IM ID of each electronic account ID sharing a same IM service and electronic mail (e-mail) service with an e-mail utility from which the notice originated; and

when a reply message is received, and the reply message includes one or more of (a) the corresponding IM ID of the electronic account ID and (b) attributes indicating an online status of the corresponding IM ID, linking the online status of the corresponding IM ID to the electronic account ID.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an opening of the MISD prior to the meeting;

automatically retrieving a current online status of each IM ID linked to the electronic account ID; and

displaying the current online status along with each electronic account ID whose online status is retrieved.

7. A communication device comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

program code executing on the processor of the communication device, which provides the functions of;

generating an electronic notice of a meeting within an electronic calendaring application;

transmitting the electronic notice to one or more electronic accounts via corresponding electronic addresses from an electronic mail application to which the electronic calendaring application is linked, wherein the transmitting of the electronic notice occurs via electronic mail;

storing meeting particulars including an electronic account identifier (ID) of each of the one or more electronic accounts to which the electronic notice was transmitted;

linking a corresponding instant messaging (IM) ID with each electronic account ID, wherein the IM ID is retrieved from an IM service accessible on the computer and/or communication device or is received in a reply message to the electronic notice;

generating a meeting invitee status display (MISD) that indicates;

(a) a listing of the one or more electronic account IDs;

(b) a reply status of the one or more electronic account IDs to the electronic notice of the meeting; and

(c) a current online status of each IM ID linked to the one or more electronic account IDs;

when a reply message is received to the electronic notice, updating the MISD by linking the corresponding IM ID within an IM ID status field of the MISD that tracks an online status of the IM ID within the IM service, such that the online status is reflected within the calendaring application;

providing within the MISD a selection mechanism to initiate a specific type of IM communication via the IM service;

enabling initiation of an IM session from an interface of the electronic calendaring application using the electronic account ID, which is presented within the interface and is linked to the corresponding IM ID to enable the IM session over the IM service to be initiated via (a) a selection of the electronic account ID and (b) a request provided within the MISD on the calendaring application to trigger initiation of the IM session via the IM service; and

enabling completion of one or more of several functions with one or more of the electronic account IDs, from among;

printing a list of electronic account IDs notified of the meeting along with the reply status;

activating an IM chat session;

activating a video conference with electronic account IDs having corresponding IM IDs that are currently logged in;

forwarding an automatic IM reminder of the meeting via the IM service; and

completing a pre-programmed user function.

8. The communication device of claim 7, wherein said program code for initiating an IM session comprises code for:

automatically logging into the IM client;

opening an IM chat with the IM ID corresponding to the electronic account ID; and

when more than one electronic account IDs are associated with the initiating of the IM session, opening an IM group chat with the corresponding IM IDs linked to the more than one electronic account IDs.

9. The communication device of claim 7, wherein:

said program code further comprises code for providing a calendaring utility enhanced with coded routines for functionally linking an IM status to the one or more electronic account ID and performing IM session initiation; and

said program code for generating an electronic notice comprises program code for generating the electronic notice with a response function that returns a corresponding IM ID within a response message received from the electronic account, said response function including;

prompting for a reply message including a “

chat available”

response;

prompting for input of the IM ID in the response message; and

when an electronic account is configured with an e-mail preference set to provide an IM status with a display of the electronic account ID, tagging the chat available response with an IM attribute enabling linking of the associated IM ID to the electronic account;

wherein IM IDs that are not available via the computer and/or communication device for linking to the electronic account IDs are retrieved from the response message.

10. The communication device of claim 9, further said program code for linking further comprising program code for:

automatically linking the IM ID of each electronic account ID sharing a same IM service and e-mail service with an e-mail utility from which the notice originated; and

when a reply message is received, and the reply message includes one or more of (a) the corresponding IM ID of the electronic account ID and (b) attributes indicating an online status of the corresponding IM ID, linking the online status of the corresponding IM ID to the electronic account ID.

11. The communication device of claim 7, further comprising program code for:

opening the MISD prior to the meeting;

automatically retrieving a current online status of each IM ID linked to the electronic account ID; and

displaying the current online status along with each electronic account ID whose online status is retrieved.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-usable storage medium; and

computer executable instructions on the computer-usable storage medium that when executed by a processor of a computer and/or a communication device provides the functions of;

generating an electronic notice of a meeting;

transmitting the electronic notice to one or more electronic accounts via corresponding electronic addresses from an electronic mail application to which the electronic calendaring application is linked, wherein the transmitting of the electronic notice occurs via electronic mail;

storing meeting particulars including an electronic account identifier (ID) of each of the one or more electronic accounts to which the electronic notice was transmitted;

linking a corresponding instant messaging (IM) ID with each electronic account ID, wherein the IM ID is retrieved from an IM service accessible on the computer and/or communication device or is received in a reply message to the electronic notice;

generating a meeting invitee status display (MISD) that indicates (a) a listing of the one or more electronic account IDs;

(b) a reply status of the one or more electronic account IDs to the electronic notice of the meeting; and

(c) a current online status of each IM ID linked to the one or more electronic account IDs;

when a reply message is received to the electronic notice, updating the MISD by linking the corresponding IM ID within an IM ID status field of the MISD that tracks an online status of the IM ID within the IM service, such that the online status is reflected within the calendaring application;

detecting an opening of the MISD prior to the meeting;

automatically retrieving a current online status of each IM ID linked to the electronic account ID;

displaying the current online status along with each electronic account ID whose online status is retrieved;

providing within the MISD a selection mechanism to initiate a specific type of IM communication via the IM service;

enabling initiation of an IM session from an interface of the electronic calendaring application using the electronic account ID, which is presented within the interface and is linked to the corresponding IM ID to enable the IM session over the IM service to be initiated via (a) a selection of the electronic account ID and (b) a request provided within the MISD on the calendaring application to trigger initiation of the IM session via the IM service; and

enabling completion of one or more of several functions with one or more of the electronic account IDs, from among;

(a) printing a list of electronic account IDs notified of the meeting along with the reply status;

activating an IM chat session;

activating a video conference with electronic account IDs having corresponding IM IDs that are currently logged in;

forwarding an automatic IM reminder of the meeting via the IM service; and

completing a pre-programmed user function.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said computer executable instructions for enabling an IM session comprises instructions for:

automatically logging into the IM client;

opening an IM chat with the IM ID corresponding to the electronic account ID; and

when more than one electronic account IDs are associated with the initiating of the IM session, opening an IM group chat with the corresponding IM IDs linked to the more than one electronic account IDs.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein:

said generating an electronic notice is completed via a calendaring utility enhanced with coded routines for functionally linking an IM status to the one or more electronic account ID and performing IM session initiation; and

said computer executable instructions farther comprising instructions for generating the electronic notice with a response function that returns a corresponding IM ID within a response message received from the electronic account, said response function including;

prompting for a reply message including a “

chat available”

response;

prompting for input of the IM ID in the response message; and

when an electronic account is configured with an e-mail preference set to provide an IM status with a display of the electronic account ID, tagging the chat available response with an IM attribute enabling linking of the associated IM ID to the electronic account;

wherein IM IDs that are not available via the computer and/or communication device for linking to the electronic account IDs are retrieved from the response message.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, said computer executable instructions for completing said linking further comprises instructions for:

automatically linking the IM ID of each electronic account ID sharing a same IM service and e-mail service with an e-mail utility from which the notice originated; and

when a reply message is received, and the reply message includes one or more of (a) the corresponding IM ID of the electronic account ID and (b) attributes indicating an online status of the corresponding IM ID, linking the online status of the corresponding IM ID to the electronic account ID.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client computer from a server at a remote location.

17. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.