System and method for coordinating communication events using computer-assisted structured interaction

• US 8,990,319 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Turner, Althea, Biehl, Jacob, Wiese, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Jason K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ullah, Sharif E
• Application Number:
  US12/986,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 706/206, 709/206, 380/225, 380/276, 713/150, 713/181, 726/2, 726/21
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for negotiating a time and a medium for communications between users is described. The method is performed at a server including one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs. The method includes receiving a request from a first user to negotiate a time and a medium for communication with a second user. The request includes a plurality of acceptable mediums of communication. The method also includes generating a first notification based on the request. The first notification includes the plurality of acceptable mediums of communication. The method furthermore includes transmitting the first notification to the second user, and receiving a response to the first notification from the second user. The response indicates whether the second user has accepted one of the acceptable mediums of communication.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for negotiating a time and a medium for communications between users, comprising:

at a server including one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs, the one or more processors executing the one or more programs to perform the operations of;

receiving a request from a first user to negotiate a time and a medium for communication with a second user, wherein the request includes a plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user;

generating a first notification based on the request, wherein the first notification includes the plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user;

transmitting the first notification to the second user, wherein the first notification is transmitted to at least a subset of one or more devices registered to the second user; and

receiving a presence state of the second user and a response to the first notification from the second user, wherein the response indicates whether the second user has accepted at least one of the plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mediums of communication includes a preferred medium of communication selected by the first user, and the response indicates whether the second user has accepted the preferred medium of communication.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the response indicates that the second user has suggested an alternative medium of communication selected from the plurality of mediums of the communication selected by the first user;

generating a second notification to the first user, wherein the second notification includes the alternative medium of communication;

transmitting the second notification to the first user; and

receiving a response to the second notification from the first user, wherein the response indicates whether the first user has accepted the alternative medium of communication.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

when the response to the second notification indicates that the first user has accepted the alternative medium of communication, transmitting a confirmation message to the first user and the second user, the confirmation message indicating that the first user has accepted the alternative medium of communication.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting a calendar event confirming an agreed-on medium and time for communication to the first user and the second user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a calendar event confirming an agreed-on medium and time for communication to the first user and the second user.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein when the response from the first user indicates the first user has indicated that the alternative medium of communication is not acceptable, the method further comprising:

generating a third notification to the second user indicating that the alternative medium of communication is not acceptable; and

transmitting the third notification to the second user.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

when the response indicates that the second user has accepted the preferred medium of communication or another of the plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user, transmitting a confirmation message to the first user and the second user, the confirmation message indicating that the second user has accepted the preferred medium of communication or another of the plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting a calendar event corresponding to the preferred medium of communication or the another of the plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user to the first user and the second user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the response indicates that the second user has accepted at least one of the mediums of communication selected by the first user, transmitting a confirmation message to the first user and the second user, the confirmation message indicating that the second user has accepted at least one of the mediums of communication selected by the first user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the response indicates that the second user has indicated that mediums in the plurality of mediums of communication are not acceptable;

generating a fourth notification to the first user indicating that the mediums in the plurality of mediums of communication are not acceptable; and

transmitting the fourth notification to the first user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mediums of communication includes mediums of communication selected from the group consisting of:

face-to-face;

phone;

sms;

video chat;

instant messaging; and

email.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mediums of communication is obtained from a profile of the first user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mediums of communication is obtained in accordance with a presence state of the first user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the presence state of the first user includes one or more of:

a location and an activity of the first user.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first notification includes the presence state of the first user.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the response to the first notification is automatically generated based at least on a presence state of the second user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the response is automatically generated further based on one or more rules defined by the second user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more rules are configured to process requests from respective classes of users.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the one or more rules include rejecting requests from a first class of users.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the response to the first notification is generated automatically based at least on a self-reported state of the second user.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the request from the first user is received in response to a phone call made by the first user to the second user, wherein the second user rejected the phone call and requested that the first user generate the request to the second user.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the request from the first user is received in response to a phone call made by the first user to the second user, wherein the phone call to the second user failed.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the response is transmitted to at least a subset of one or more devices registered to the first user.

25. The method of claim 3, wherein the second notification is transmitted to at least a subset of one or more devices registered to the first user.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the first notification is a structured notification, and the plurality of mediums is presented to the second user as a list of mediums of communication that are specified by the first user.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the request includes a plurality of times including a preferred time of the communication.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first notification is a structured notification, and the plurality of times is presented to the second user as a list of time of communication that are specified by the first user.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the plurality of times includes time constraints selected from the group consisting of:

as soon as possible;

anytime;

a particular date and a particular time;

before a particular date and particular time; and

after a particular date and particular time.

30. A system for negotiating a time and a medium for communications between users, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions to;

receive a request from a first user to negotiate a time and a medium for communication with a second user, wherein the request includes a plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user;

generate a first notification based on the request, wherein the first notification includes the plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user;

transmit the first notification to the second user, wherein the first notification is transmitted to at least a subset of one or more devices registered to the second user; and

receive a presence state of the second user and a response to the first notification from the second user, wherein the response indicates whether the second user has accepted at least one of the plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user.

31. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising instructions to:

receive a request from a first user to negotiate a time and a medium for communication with a second user, wherein the request includes a plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user;

generate a first notification based on the request, wherein the first notification includes the plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user;

transmit the first notification to the second user, wherein the first notification is transmitted to at least a subset of one or more devices registered to the second user; and

receive a presence state of the second user and a response to the first notification from the second user, wherein the response indicates whether the second user has accepted at least one of the plurality of mediums of communication selected by the first user.