Utilizing presence in conjunction with other information to determine an appropriate communications modality

• US 8,589,326 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Balasaygun, Mehmet C., Killian, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Lut
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sugent, James F
• Application Number:
  US12/829,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20110047116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 706/47, 706/21, 705/319, 705/345, 707/776
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Even with SIP and the varied communications options available to users, the monitoring of presence itself may not provide sufficient information to determine a most appropriate contact modality for a communication. Therefore, there is a need for a more complete method of generating a landscape of recent activity from which a preferred communication modality can be determined, with a corresponding solution provided that allows a contactor to contact a contactee via that modality. For example, a network of bearer channels or feeds can be established as input to a presence determination module. The inputs can include not only presence information, but also feeds from one or more blogs, micro blogs, social networking sites, etc., that allow a more complete picture of recent activity to be determined. Based on this input a preferred contact modality can be determined that may enhance the ability of a contactor to contact a contactee.

Claims

1. A method to provide improved contactability in a communications environment comprising:

aggregating information, with the cooperation of an information aggregation module, from one or more information sources, wherein the one or more information sources include one or more of a blog, a discussion forum, a social networking site, a micro-blog, and a web site;

performing one or more of a conversation analysis, pattern analysis, context analysis, content analysis, usage pattern analysis, input type analysis, temporal relationship analysis, an analysis of history, and statistical analysis of the aggregated information, wherein the analysis performed includes an analysis of a contact modality of a last communication by a contactee;

predicting one or more preferred contact modalities based on a predicted presence of the contactee, a predicted behavior of the contactee, and a content type, wherein the predicted presence of the contactee is based on an analysis of one or more keywords from conversations or calendar information contained in the aggregated information and wherein the predicted behavior of the contactee is based on known activities of the contactee during certain time periods and wherein the content type comprises a picture;

applying one or more rules that at least one of override and supplement the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities;

updating the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities;

providing the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities to a contactor, the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities being predictive of a preferred contact modality for a specific time period and provided to the contactor based on an identity of the contactor;

providing an icon to the contactor, the icon being representative of the preferred contact modality of the contactee;

providing information regarding one or more of the predicted preferred contact modalities of the contactee to the contactor, the provided information comprising at least a specific time period of how long the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities may be valid; and

using one or more of the predicted preferred contact modalities, initiating a communication from the contactor to the contactee.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining one or more user identities associated with a contactee.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the aggregated information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more preferred contact modalities are filtered based on contactee identification information.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable information storage media having stored thereon instructions, that, if executed by a processor, perform the steps of claim 1.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis performed includes the usage pattern analysis.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities are based in part on presence information for the contactee, and wherein the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities of the contactee is different than the contact modality of the last communication by the contactee.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities are filtered based on contactee identification information.

9. A system to provide improved contactability in a communications environment comprising:

a processor;

an information aggregation module executed by the processor that aggregates information from one or more information sources, wherein the one or more information sources include one or more of a blog, a discussion forum, a social networking site, a micro-blog, and a web site;

one or more modules that perform one or more of a conversation analysis, pattern analysis, context analysis, content analysis, usage pattern analysis, input type analysis, temporal relationship analysis, an analysis of history, and statistical analysis of the aggregated information, wherein the one or more modules performs an analysis of a contact modality of a last communication by a contactee;

a predictive presence module that predicts one or more preferred contact modalities based on a predicted presence of the contactee, a predicted behavior of the contactee, and a content type and that provides the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities of the contactee to a contactor, the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities being predictive of a preferred contact modality for a specific time period and provided to the contactor based on an identity of the contactor, wherein the predicted presence of the contactee is based on an analysis of one or more keywords from conversations or calendar information contained in the aggregated information, wherein the predicted behavior of the contactee is based on known activities of the contactee during certain time periods, and wherein the content type comprises a picture such that a communication is initiated using at least one of the predicted preferred contact modalities;

a rules module that applies one or more rules that at least one of override and supplement the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities and updates the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities; and

a status identification module that provides information regarding one or more of the predicted preferred contact modalities of the contactee to the contactor, the information comprising at least a specific time period of how long the one or more predicted preferred contact modalities may be valid and an icon representative of the preferred contact modality of the contactee.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a discovery module that determines one or more user identities associated with a contactee.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the aggregated information is filtered.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a presence determination module that determines a contactee'"'"'s presence.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising an artificial intelligence module that analyses one or more conversations, posts, threads and message exchanges.