Managing unavailability notices

• US 9,467,400 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bhatia, Supreet K., Padmanabhan, Girish, Patil, Rajesh, Purandare, Prasad P., Purohit, Hina, Sarsamkar, Paryushan P., Shirole, Jaitirth V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parry, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chou, Alan S
• Application Number:
  US14/317,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20150381532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, carried out by one or more processors, for managing unavailability notices. In an embodiment, the method comprises the steps of initializing an out of office notice, wherein the out of office notice is associated with a first user of an e-mail service; receiving inputs for the out of office notice, wherein the inputs include one or more of: a duration of time selection, alternative contact information, and message content; receiving a list of one or more user to whom to send an out of office alert notice with the received inputs; and sending to the one or more users from the list the out of office alert notice with the received inputs and a reminder function, wherein the reminder function allows for each of the one or more users to receive a reminder about unavailability at another time.

Claims

1. A method for managing unavailability notices, the method comprising:

initializing, by one or more processors, an out of office notice, wherein the out of office notice is associated with a first user of an e-mail service;

receiving, by one or more processors, inputs for the out of office notice, wherein the inputs include one or more of;

a duration of time selection, alternative contact information, and message content;

storing, by one or more processors, the out of office notice with the received inputs;

receiving, by one or more processors, a list of one or more users to whom to send an out of office alert notice with the received inputs;

sending, by one or more processors, to the one or more users from the list, the out of office alert notice with the received inputs and a reminder function, wherein the reminder function allows for each of the one or more users to receive a reminder about unavailability at another time, as specified by each of the one or more users, prior to the duration of time selection in the out of office alert notice;

receiving, by one or more processors, an e-mail sent from a second user of the e-mail service to the first user;

sending, by one or more processors, a first out of office notice with the received inputs and a refresh option to the second user, wherein the refresh option allows for the second user to receive the out of office notice in a set duration of time;

responsive to determining the refresh option has been selected, sending, by one or more processors, a second out of office notice with the received inputs and the refresh option to the second user subsequent to completion of the set duration of time; and

responsive to receiving a show sent e-mail selection, displaying, by one or more processors, one or more emails sent by the second user during the set duration of time between the first out of office notice and second out of office notice.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by one or more processors, whether the out of office notice with the received inputs is canceled; and

responsive to determining the out of office notice with the received inputs is canceled, sending a cancelation notice to the one or more users from the list.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by one or more processors, whether the out of office notice with the received inputs is rescheduled; and

responsive to determining the out of office notice with the received inputs is rescheduled, sending a reschedule notice to the one or more users from the list.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by one or more processors, a reminder option has been selected, wherein the reminder option provides the out of office notice during the duration of time selection; and

creating, by one or more processors, a calendar event reminder, wherein the calendar event reminder includes at least the out of office notice.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by one or more processors, a forward option has been selected, wherein the forward option forwards an e-mail received from the second user to an alternative contact; and

sending, by one or more processors, the e-mail received from the second user to the alternative contact.

6. A computer program product for managing unavailability notices, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable tangible storage media and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage media, wherein the one or more storage media are not transitory signals per se, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to initialize an out of office notice, wherein the out of office notice is associated with a first user of an e-mail service;

program instructions to receive inputs for the out of office notice, wherein the inputs include one or more of;

a duration of time selection, alternative contact information, and message content;

program instructions to store the out of office notice with the received inputs;

program instructions to receive a list of one or more user to whom to send an out of office alert notice with the received inputs;

program instructions to send to the one or more users from the list the out of office alert notice with the received inputs and a reminder function, wherein the reminder function allows for each of the one or more users to receive a reminder about unavailability at another time, as specified by each of the one or more users, prior to the duration of time selection in the out of office alert notice;

program instructions to receive an e-mail sent from a second user of the e-mail service to the first user;

program instructions to send a first out of office notice with the received inputs and a refresh option to the second user, wherein the refresh option allows for the second user to receive the out of office notice in a set duration of time;

program instructions to, responsive to determining the refresh option has been selected, send a second out of office notice with the received inputs and the refresh option to the second user subsequent to completion of the set duration of time; and

program instructions to, responsive to receiving a show sent e-mail selection, display one or more emails sent by the second user during the set duration of time between the first out of office notice and second out of office notice.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine whether the out of office notice with the received inputs is canceled; and

responsive to determining the out of office notice with the received inputs is canceled, send a cancelation notice to the one or more users from the list.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine whether the out of office notice with the received inputs is rescheduled; and

responsive to determining the out of office notice with the received inputs is rescheduled, send a reschedule notice to the one or more users from the list.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine a reminder option has been selected, wherein the reminder option provides the out of office notice during the duration of time selection; and

create a calendar event reminder, wherein the calendar event reminder includes at least the out of office notice.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine a forward option has been selected, wherein the forward option forwards an e-mail received from the second user to an alternative contact; and

send the e-mail received from the second user to the alternative contact.

11. A computer system for managing unavailability notices, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media, wherein the one or more storage media are not transitory signals per se; and

program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to;

initialize an out of office notice, wherein the out of office notice is associated with a first user of an e-mail service;

receive inputs for the out of office notice, wherein the inputs include one or more of;

a duration of time selection, alternative contact information, and message content;

store the out of office notice with the received inputs;

receive a list of one or more user to whom to send an out of office alert notice with the received inputs;

send to the one or more users from the list the out of office alert notice with the received inputs and a reminder function, wherein the reminder function allows for each of the one or more users to receive a reminder about unavailability at another time, as specified by each of the one or more users, prior to the duration of time selection in the out of office alert notice;

receive an e-mail sent from a second user of the e-mail service to the first user;

send a first out of office notice with the received inputs and a refresh option to the second user, wherein the refresh option allows for the second user to receive the out of office notice in a set duration of time;

responsive to determining the refresh option has been selected, send a second out of office notice with the received inputs and the refresh option to the second user subsequent to completion of the set duration of time; and

responsive to receiving a show sent e-mail selection, display one or more emails sent by the second user during the set duration of time between the first out of office notice and second out of office notice.

12. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine whether the out of office notice with received inputs is canceled; and

responsive to determining the out of office notice with received inputs is canceled, send a cancelation notice to the one or more users from the list.

13. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine whether the out of office notice with the received inputs is rescheduled; and

responsive to determining the out of office notice with the received inputs is rescheduled, send a reschedule notice to the one or more users from the list.

14. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine an reminder option has been selected, wherein the reminder options provide the out of office notice during the duration of time selection; and

create a calendar event reminder, wherein the calendar event reminder includes at least the out of office notice.

15. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine a forward option has been selected, wherein the forward option forwards an e-mail received from the second user to an alternative contact; and

send the e-mail received from the second user to the alternative contact.