Method and system for presence state assignment based on schedule information in an instant messaging system

• US 7,752,268 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Rahul L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): WASEL, MOHAMED A
• Application Number:
  US10/670,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,476 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A method and system for presence state assignment based on schedule information in an instant messenger system. In one embodiment, the method may include storing schedule information corresponding to a given user, where the schedule information is indicative of an activity status of the given user at a given time. The method may further include querying the schedule information, and if a current presence state of an instant messenger does not correspond to the activity status indicated by the schedule information, assigning a different presence state that corresponds to the activity status in response to the querying, where the current presence state and the different presence state each correspond to the given user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining, at a particular time, whether a current presence state of an instant messenger (IM) client corresponds to an activity status indicated by schedule information corresponding to a given user, wherein said current presence state indicates an IM presence status of said given user, wherein said schedule information is stored by a calendar application, and wherein said activity status includes a corresponding event title that is specifically descriptive of said given user'"'"'s activity at said particular time; and

in response to determining that the current presence state does not correspond to said activity status indicated by said schedule information, automatically assigning and storing a different presence state for said given user without intervention by said given user, such that subsequent to automatically assigning said different presence state to said given user, said different presence state is indicated by said instant messenger client as said given user'"'"'s current presence state;

wherein said different presence state includes at least a portion of said corresponding event title included in said activity status, such that said different presence state indicated by said instant messenger client is descriptive of said given user'"'"'s activity at said particular time according to said schedule information stored by said calendar application.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said calendar application is compliant with the Internet Calendaring and Scheduling Core Object Specification standard (RFC 2445).

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises accessing said calendar application via a uniform resource locator (URL).

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to an engaged state in response to detecting a engaged activity status of said given user.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to an online state in response to detecting an available activity status of said given user.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein assigning a different presence state comprises transitioning said current presence state to a state determined by said schedule information.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a computer system activity level indicative of computer system activity;

determining whether said activity level exceeds an activity threshold in response to said detecting; and

transitioning the presence state specific to said instant messenger client to a busy state in response to determining that said activity level exceeds said activity threshold, wherein said presence state corresponds to said given user.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an instant messaging operation directed to said given user, wherein said given user is not offline;

determining the presence state specific to said instant messenger client in response to receiving said instant messaging operation; and

selectively processing said instant messaging operation dependent upon said presence state in response to said determining.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

storing an instant messaging operation associated with a given presence state of said instant messenger client, wherein said given presence state corresponds to the given user;

detecting a transition to said given presence state subsequent to said storing; and

performing said instant messaging operation in response to said detecting.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said activity status corresponds to a scheduled event, and wherein the method further comprises:

storing said current presence state as a stored presence state prior to automatically assigning said different presence state; and

in response to detecting that said scheduled event has ended, restoring said stored presence state such that subsequent to said restoring, said stored presence state is indicated by said instant messenger client as said given user'"'"'s current presence state.

11. A computer-accessible storage medium, comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to:

determine, at a particular time, whether a current presence state of an instant messenger (IM) client corresponds to said an activity status indicated by schedule information corresponding to said given user, wherein said current presence state indicates an IM presence status of said given user, wherein said schedule information is stored by a calendar application, and wherein said activity status includes a corresponding event title that is specifically descriptive of said given user'"'"'s activity at said particular time; and

in response to determining that the current presence state does not correspond to said activity status indicated by said schedule information, automatically assign and store a different presence state for said given user without intervention by said given user, such that subsequent to automatically assigning said different presence state to said given user, said different presence state is indicated by said instant messenger client as said given user'"'"'s current presence state;

wherein said different presence state includes at least a portion of said corresponding event title included in said activity status, such that said different presence state indicated by said instant messenger client is descriptive of said given user'"'"'s activity at said particular time according to said schedule information stored by said calendar application.

12. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said calendar application is compliant with the Internet Calendaring and Scheduling Core Object Specification standard (RFC 2445).

13. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein to determine whether said current presence state corresponds to said activity status, the program instructions are further executable to access said calendar application via a uniform resource locator (URL).

14. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein to assign a different presence state, the program instructions are further executable to transition said current presence state to an engaged state in response to detecting an engaged activity status of said given user.

15. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein to assign a different presence state, the program instructions are further executable to transition said current presence state to an online state in response to detecting an available activity status of said given user.

16. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein to assign a different presence state, the program instructions are further executable to transition said current presence state to a state determined by said schedule information.

17. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said program instructions are further computer-executable to:

detect a computer system activity level indicative of computer system activity;

determine whether said activity level exceeds an activity threshold in response to said detecting; and

transition the presence state specific to said instant messenger client to a busy state in response to determining that said activity level exceeds said activity threshold, wherein said presence state corresponds to the given user.

18. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said program instructions are further computer-executable to:

receive an instant messaging operation directed to said given user, wherein said given user is not offline;

determine the presence state specific to said instant messenger client in response to receiving said instant messaging operation; and

selectively process said instant messaging operation dependent upon said presence state in response to said determining.

19. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said program instructions are further computer-executable to:

store an instant messaging operation associated with a given presence state of said instant messenger client, wherein said given presence state corresponds to the given user;

detect a transition to said given presence state subsequent to said storing; and

perform said instant messaging operation in response to said detecting.

20. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

store said current presence state as a stored presence state prior to automatically assigning said different presence state; and

in response to detecting that said scheduled event has ended, restore said stored presence state such that subsequent to being restored, said stored presence state is indicated by said instant messenger client as said given user'"'"'s current presence state.

21. A system, comprising:

a computer system; and

computer-accessible storage comprising program instructions for an instant messenger software module configured to execute on said computer system; and

wherein said instant messenger software module is farther configured to;

determine, at a particular time, whether a current presence state of an instant messenger (IM) client corresponds to an activity status indicated by said schedule information corresponding to said given user, wherein said current presence state indicates an IM presence status of said given user, wherein said schedule information is stored by a calendar application software module, and wherein said activity status includes a corresponding event title that is specifically descriptive of said given user'"'"'s activity at said particular time; and

in response to determining that the current presence state does not correspond to said activity status indicated by said schedule information, automatically assign and store a different presence state for said given user without intervention by said given user, such that subsequent to automatically assigning said different presence state to said given user, said different presence state is indicated by said instant messenger client as said given user'"'"'s current presence state;

wherein said different presence state includes at least a portion of said corresponding event title included in said activity status, such that said different presence state indicated by said instant messenger client is descriptive of said given user'"'"'s activity at said particular time according to said schedule information stored by said calendar application.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said calendar application software module and said instant messenger software module are integrated into a common software module.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said calendar application software module is compliant with the Internet Calendaring and Scheduling Core Object Specification standard (RFC 2445).

24. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said instant messenger software module is further configured to access said calendar application software module via a uniform resource locator (URL).

25. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein to assign a different presence state, the instant messenger software module is further configured to transition said current presence state to an engaged state in response to detecting an engaged activity status of said given user.

26. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein to assign a different presence state, the instant messenger software module is further configured to transition said current presence state to an online state in response to detecting an available activity status of said given user.

27. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein to assign a different presence state, the instant messenger software module is further configured to transition said current presence state to a state determined by said schedule information.

28. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said instant messenger software module is further configured to:

detect a computer system activity level indicative of computer system activity;

determine whether said activity level exceeds an activity threshold in response to said detecting; and

transition the presence state specific to said instant messenger software module to a busy state in response to determining that said activity level exceeds said activity threshold, wherein said presence state corresponds to a given user.

29. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said instant messenger software module is further configured to:

receive an instant messaging operation directed to said given user, wherein said given user is not offline;

determine the presence state specific to said instant messenger software module in response to receiving said instant messaging operation; and

selectively process said instant messaging operation dependent upon said presence state in response to said determining.

30. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein said instant messenger software module is further configured to:

store an instant messaging operation associated with a given presence state of said instant messenger software module, wherein said given presence state corresponds to said given user;

detect a transition to said given presence state subsequent to said storing; and

perform said instant messaging operation in response to said detecting.