Extended out of office message processing

• US 9,276,881 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2013
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Alfarano, Luca, Allampally, Srinivas, Bhagat, Gaurav, Boland, Conor T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Liangche A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Kaylee
• Application Number:
  US14/027,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20140189024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 898 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Message processing includes activating an out-of-office function for a messaging account, wherein the out-of-office function has a scheduled end time. A determination is made, using a processor, that a current time is after the scheduled end time and that a deactivation condition for the out-of-office function has not occurred. Responsive to the determination, an out-of-office action is performed using the processor.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

activating an out-of-office function for a messaging account, wherein the out-of-office function has a scheduled end time and a deactivation condition;

determining, using a processor, that a current time is after the scheduled end time and that the deactivation condition for the out-of-office function has not occurred; and

responsive to the determining, performing, using the processor, an out-of-office action, wherein

the out-of-office action comprises;

determining each messaging address to which a first automated reply was sent as part of the out-of-office function; and

sending each determined messaging address a second automated reply different from the first automated reply.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the deactivation condition comprises a user of the messaging account accessing the messaging account.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein accessing the messaging account comprises the user of the messaging account checking the messaging account for a message.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein accessing the messaging account comprises the user of the messaging account turning off the out-of-office function.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging account is associated with a first messaging address, and wherein the out-of-office action comprises:

selecting each message received while the out-of-office function is active; and

forwarding each message to a second messaging address.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein forwarding comprises:

correlating at least one of a plurality of forwarding rules with each message, wherein each forwarding rule specifies a different second messaging address;

wherein each message is sent to the second messaging address specified by the correlated forwarding rule.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the current time is at least a predetermined amount of time after the scheduled end time.