Systems and methods for managing electronic communications using various negotiation techniques
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of negotiating, in real time, a future time for a future communication between a caller and a callee, the method as viewed by the caller comprising:
- sending a first request for a future communication to an interaction management system of the callee;
wherein if the first request is accepted by the interaction management system of the callee, obtaining electronic schedule information from electronic calendar systems of the caller and callee, determining a list of mutually available free times between electronic calendar systems of the caller and callee, presenting the list to both the caller and callee, and facilitating real time negotiation between the caller and callee for selecting the future time for the future negotiation,wherein if the first request is rejected by the interaction management system of the callee, receiving, from the callee, one or more options for limited present interaction with the callee responsive to a present availability of the callee and to an access level of the caller to the callee; and
establishing a limited present electronic communication with the callee during periods when the present availability of the callee is low using the one or more options;
wherein the present availability is low if the callee is attending an important meeting,wherein the access level is based on a preexisting relationship between the caller and the callee, the preexisting relationship being determined from a database coupled with a device of the callee, the database including entries for a plurality of potential callers identified by the database as being acquaintances of the callee, andwherein the options for limited present interaction include a pager number, a telephone number and an email address of the callee.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for negotiating a future communication are provided to facilitate interaction between persons who wish to interact but who presently may not be in a position or find it desirable to do so. Each party may be provided with an interaction manager that allows the parties to negotiate future time(s) for future communication by ascertaining mutually available free time and selecting from among these times. The parties may also elect to defer a communication until a particular communication channel becomes available.
-
Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A method of negotiating, in real time, a future time for a future communication between a caller and a callee, the method as viewed by the caller comprising:
-
sending a first request for a future communication to an interaction management system of the callee; wherein if the first request is accepted by the interaction management system of the callee, obtaining electronic schedule information from electronic calendar systems of the caller and callee, determining a list of mutually available free times between electronic calendar systems of the caller and callee, presenting the list to both the caller and callee, and facilitating real time negotiation between the caller and callee for selecting the future time for the future negotiation, wherein if the first request is rejected by the interaction management system of the callee, receiving, from the callee, one or more options for limited present interaction with the callee responsive to a present availability of the callee and to an access level of the caller to the callee; and establishing a limited present electronic communication with the callee during periods when the present availability of the callee is low using the one or more options; wherein the present availability is low if the callee is attending an important meeting, wherein the access level is based on a preexisting relationship between the caller and the callee, the preexisting relationship being determined from a database coupled with a device of the callee, the database including entries for a plurality of potential callers identified by the database as being acquaintances of the callee, and wherein the options for limited present interaction include a pager number, a telephone number and an email address of the callee. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system of interaction management for negotiating, in real time, a future time for a future communication, the system being implemented in a device adapted for being used by the caller or by the callee, the system comprising:
-
an input and output interface for sending and receiving a first request for a future communication, the first request being sent by the caller and being received by the callee; a database including entries for a plurality of potential callers for each callee, the potential callers identified by the database as having a preexisting relationship with the callee by being acquaintances of the callee; an electronic calendar system for maintaining schedule of a user of the device, the user being a caller or a callee; a controller coupled to the input and output interface, the database and the electronic calendar system, the controller controlling the device to perform operations of; sending the first request for the future communication to the interaction management system of the callee, wherein if the first request is accepted by the interaction management system of the callee, the interaction management systems of the caller and callee determines a list of mutually available free times between the electronic calendar systems of the caller and callee and presents the list to both the caller and callee, and facilitating real time negotiation between the caller and callee for selecting the future time for the future negotiation, wherein if the first request is rejected by the interaction management system of the callee, receiving, from the callee, one or more options for limited present interaction with the callee responsive to a present availability of the callee and to an access level of the caller to the callee, and establishing a limited present electronic communication with the callee during periods when the present availability of the callee is low using the one or more options; wherein the access level is based on the preexisting relationship between the caller and the callee determined from the database, and wherein the options for limited present interaction include a pager number, a telephone number and an email address of the callee. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
Specification