Automated instant messaging state control based upon email persona utilization

• US 20050080867A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W., Daniell, W. Todd
• Granted Patent: US 7,451,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

Embodiments, among others, of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for integrating communication services. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. A communication suite includes several communications accounts for a first communications service and several communications for a second communications service. Logic is configured to detect when one of the communications accounts in the first communication suite for the first communications service is being actively utilized by a user. Upon detection, the logic is configured to make the second communications service available to the user via the communications accounts in the communication suite for the second communications service. Other systems and methods are provided.

Claims

1. A communications system, comprising:

a first communication suite comprising;

a plurality of communications accounts of a first user for a first communications service; and

at least one communications account of the first user for the second communications service;

first logic configured to recognize that one of the plurality of communications accounts of the first user for the first communications service is being actively utilized; and

second logic configured to direct the second communications service to assume an inactive state of service for the first user after the first logic recognizes that one of the plurality of communications accounts of the first user is being actively utilized.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the active state of service comprises an available presence state.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first user interface for the first communications service, the first communications service comprising the first logic.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second user interface for the second communications service, the second communications interface configured to indicate a particular state of service for a particular user.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first service interface providing communications services for the first communication suite, the second service interface comprising the second logic.

6. The system of claim 1, the second logic configured to direct the first communications service to assume an active state of service for each of the plurality of communications accounts of the first user.

7. A system for integrating communications services, comprising:

a first communication suite profile having a first plurality of communications services, wherein a particular user has a respective communications account for each of the first plurality of communications services;

first logic configured to;

determine if the particular user is actively requesting one of the first plurality of communications services via said respective communications account of the particular user;

upon a determination that the particular user is actively requesting one of the first plurality of communications services via said respective communications account of the particular user, directing each of the first plurality of communications services to initiate an active state of service; and

upon a determination that the particular user is not actively requesting one of the first plurality of communications services via said respective communications account of the particular user, directing said each of the first plurality of communications services to initiate an inactive state of service.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first plurality of communications services comprises an email service.

9. The system of claim 8, the first plurality of communications services further comprises an instant messaging service.

10. The system of claim 8, the first plurality of communications services further comprises an Internet call waiting service.

11. The system of claim 8, the first plurality of communications services further comprises a videoconferencing service.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a second communication suite profile having a second plurality of communications services, wherein the particular user has a respective communications account for each of the second plurality of communications services;

second logic configured to;

determine if the particular user is actively requesting one of the second plurality of communications services via said respective communications account of the particular user;

upon a determination that the particular user is actively requesting one of the second plurality of communications services via said respective communications account of the particular user, directing each of the second plurality of communications services to initiate an active state of service; and

upon a determination that the particular user is not actively requesting one of the second plurality of communications services via said respective communications account of the particular user, directing said each of the second plurality of communications services to initiate an inactive state of service.

13. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a third communication suite profile having a third plurality of communications services, wherein a different user has a respective communications account for each of the third plurality of communications services;

third logic configured to;

determine if the user is actively requesting one of the third plurality of communications services via said respective communications account of the different user;

upon a determination that the different user is actively requesting one of the third plurality of communications services via said respective communications account of the different user, directing each of the third plurality of communications services to initiate an active state of service; and

upon a determination that the different user is not actively requesting one of the third plurality of communications services via said respective communications account of the different user, directing said each of the third plurality of communications services to initiate an inactive state of service.

14. A communications system, comprising:

means for providing a first communication suite having a plurality of communications accounts of a first user for a first communications service and at least one communications account of the first user for the second communications service;

means for recognizing that one of the plurality of communications accounts of the first user for the first communications service is being actively utilized; and

means for directing the second communications service to assume an inactive state of service for the first user after the first logic recognizes that one of the plurality of communications accounts of the first user is being actively utilized.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the active state of service comprises an available presence state.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first communications service is an email service, the system further comprising:

means for displaying a particular mailbox for the first communication suite; and

means for recognizing that a particular communications accounts for the first communications service in the first communication suite is being actively utilized when the first user accesses the particular mailbox.

17. A method for integration communications services, comprising the steps of:

providing a suite of communications services having at least one first communications account of a user for a first communications service and at least one second communications account of the user for a second communications service; and

directing each communications service of the user in the suite to initiate an active state of service via the communications accounts if the user is actively utilizing any communications account in the suite.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first communications service is an email service and the second communications service is an instant messaging service.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second communications service is made available to the user by initiating an available presence state.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

providing a second suite of communications services having at least one third communications account for the first communications service;

detecting active utilization of the at least one third communications account for the first communications service by a second user;

upon detection of the active utilization by the second user, making the second communications service unavailable to the first user via the second communications account;

upon detection of the active utilization by the second user, making the first communications service unavailable to the first user via the first communications service; and

upon detection of the active utilization by the second user, making the first communications service available to the second user via the third communications account.

21. A method for integrating communications services, comprising the steps of:

providing a first association of a plurality of first communications accounts for a first communications service;

providing a second association of a plurality of second communications accounts for a second communications service;

detecting if a particular user is actively utilizing one of the first communications accounts in the first association;

upon detection, initiating an active state of service for each first communications account in the first association; and

upon detection, initiating an inactive state of service for each second communications account in the second association.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first communications services is an email service and the second communications service is an instant messaging service.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first communications service is an instant messaging service and the second communications service is an email service.

24. A communications method, comprising the steps of:

providing a first communication suite having a plurality of communications accounts of a first user for a first communications service and at least one communications account of the first user for the second communications service;

recognizing that one of the plurality of communications accounts of the first user for the first communications service is being actively utilized; and

directing the second communications service to assume an inactive state of service for the first user after the recognizing step.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the active state of service comprises an available presence state.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the first communications service is an email service, the method further comprising the steps of:

displaying a particular mailbox for the first communication suite; and

recognizing that a particular communications accounts for the first communications service in the first communication suite is being actively utilized when the first user accesses the particular mailbox.