Managing a workflow using an instant messaging system to gather task status information
First Claim
1. A method of managing a workflow using an instant messaging system to gather information about statuses of tasks included in the workflow, the method comprising:
- a server computer generating a first query that requests from a user a first status of a first task of the workflow;
the server computer sending a first instant message that includes the first query to a first client computer via an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to the first client computer;
in real-time and via the instant message server, the server computer receiving from the first client computer a second instant message that includes one or more key words entered into the second instant message by the user, the one or more key words indicating the first status in response to the first query;
the server computer determining that the first task is complete based on the one or more key words included in the second instant message and that the first task is required to be complete before a second task of the workflow is started;
based in part on the one or more key words being included in the second instant message, the server computer automatically generating a second query that requests a second status of the second task of the workflow;
the server computer sending a third instant message that includes the second query to a second client computer via an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to the second client computer;
the server computer receiving from the second client computer a fourth instant message that includes a second response to the second query; and
the server computer determining that the second task is complete based on the one or more key words included in the second response.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for managing a workflow using instant messages to determine the statuses of interdependent tasks. First and second tasks of the workflow are determined to be interdependent, whereby the first task is required to be completed before the second task is started. After receiving a first instant message (IM) that responds to an IM-based first query requesting a status of the first task, the first IM is determined to include key word(s) indicating that the first task is completed. An IM-based second query requesting a status of the second task is sent. After receiving a second IM that responds to the second query, the second IM is determined to include the key word(s) indicating that the second task is completed.
90 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of managing a workflow using an instant messaging system to gather information about statuses of tasks included in the workflow, the method comprising:
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a server computer generating a first query that requests from a user a first status of a first task of the workflow; the server computer sending a first instant message that includes the first query to a first client computer via an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to the first client computer; in real-time and via the instant message server, the server computer receiving from the first client computer a second instant message that includes one or more key words entered into the second instant message by the user, the one or more key words indicating the first status in response to the first query; the server computer determining that the first task is complete based on the one or more key words included in the second instant message and that the first task is required to be complete before a second task of the workflow is started; based in part on the one or more key words being included in the second instant message, the server computer automatically generating a second query that requests a second status of the second task of the workflow; the server computer sending a third instant message that includes the second query to a second client computer via an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to the second client computer; the server computer receiving from the second client computer a fourth instant message that includes a second response to the second query; and the server computer determining that the second task is complete based on the one or more key words included in the second response. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer system for managing a workflow using an instant messaging system to gather information about statuses of tasks included in the workflow, the computer system comprising:
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a CPU; a computer-readable memory; a computer-readable storage device; first program instructions to automatically generate a first query that requests from a user a first status of a first task of the workflow; second program instructions to send a first instant message that includes the first query to a first client computer via an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to the first client computer; third program instructions to receive, in real-time and from the first client computer via the instant message server, a second instant message that includes one or more key words entered into the second instant message by the user, the one or more key words indicating the first status in response to the first query; fourth program instructions to determine that the first task is complete based on the one or more key words included in the second instant message and that the first task is required to be complete before a second task of the workflow is started, and based in part on the one or more key words being included in the second instant message, to automatically generate a second query that requests a second status of the second task of the workflow; fifth program instructions to send a third instant message that includes the second query to a second client computer via an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to the second client computer; sixth program instructions to receive from the second client computer a fourth instant message that includes a second response to the second query; and seventh program instructions to determine that the second task is complete based on the one or more key words included in the second response, wherein the first through seventh program instructions are stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the CPU via the computer-readable memory. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product comprising computer-readable storage device(s) and computer-readable program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage device(s) to manage a workflow using an instant messaging system to gather information about statuses of tasks included in the workflow, the computer-readable program instructions, when executed by a CPU:
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automatically generate a first query that requests from a user a first status of a first task of the workflow; send a first instant message that includes the first query to a first client computer via an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to the first client computer; receive in real-time and from the first client computer via the instant message server, a second instant message that includes one or more key words entered into the second instant message by the user, the one or more key words indicating the first status in response to the first query; determine that the first task is complete based on the one or more key words included in the second instant message and that the first task is required to be complete before a second task of the workflow is started; based in part on the one or more key words being included in the second instant message, automatically generate a second query that requests a second status of the second task of the workflow; send a third instant message that includes the second query to a second client computer via an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to the second client computer; receive from the second client computer a fourth instant message that includes a second response to the second query; and determine that the second task is complete based on the one or more key words included in the second response. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification