System and method of managing real-time communications using context-based awareness states

• US 20060168073A1
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pontrich, Ronald E. Jr., Mewherter, Duncan Lear, Kogan, Sandra L., Travis, Amy D., Solie, Kevin, Galvin, James P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,639,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

Described are a system and method for managing online communications by a user who participates in an awareness service system. A first awareness state associated with the user is published to a first participant of the awareness service system, while a second different awareness state associated with the user is published to a second participant of the awareness service system. Each published awareness state is based on a collaborative relationship between the user and the participant to which that awareness state is published.

Claims

1. A computerized method for managing communications by a user of a computing device who participates in an awareness service system, the method comprising:

publishing a first awareness state associated with the user to a first participant of the awareness service system, while publishing a second different awareness state associated with the user to a second participant of the awareness service system, each published awareness state being based on a collaborative relationship between the user and the participant to which that awareness state is published.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the user, an instant message from one of the participants;

automatically detecting that the user of the computing device is currently engaged in a particular activity; and

automatically sending a reply to that one participant indicating that the user is currently unavailable for instant messaging.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the particular activity in which the user is engaged involves participating in an electronic meeting.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing a schedule for when the user is available to receive instant messages.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the schedule identifies a time slot during which the user is available to receive an instant message from a particular individual.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the schedule identifies a time slot during which the user is available to receive an instant message from a defined group of individuals.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing in an instant message identification information about a sender of the instant message and publishing an awareness state to the sender based on the identification information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the identification information indicates that the sender is a member of an extranet.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the identification information indicates that the sender is a member of a department within an organization.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of displaying a list of participants in an electronic meeting and providing an indicator adjacent to a name of one participant on the list, the indicator signifying that the participant has produced a message, the message being viewable only by each participant of the awareness service system who is an attendee of the electronic meeting.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of displaying a list of participants in an electronic meeting and providing an indicator adjacent to a name of one participant on the list, the indicator providing location information identifying a geographical location of that one participant.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the location information includes Global Positioning System information.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of publishing an awareness state to that one participant based on the location information.

14. An awareness service system, comprising:

an instant messaging system that publishes a first awareness state associated with a user to a first participant of the awareness service system, while publishing a second different awareness state associated with the user to a second participant of the awareness service system, each published awareness state being based on a collaborative relationship between the user and the participant to which that awareness state is published.

15. The awareness service system of claim 14, wherein the instant messaging system comprises an instant message receiving system that receives an instant message from one of the participants, the instant message receiving system automatically detecting that the user is currently engaged in a particular activity and automatically sending a reply to that one participant indicating that the user is currently unavailable for instant messaging.

16. The awareness service system of claim 14, wherein the instant messaging system includes a calendar system for establishing a schedule for when the user is available to receive instant messages.

17. The awareness service system of claim 16, wherein the schedule specifies a time slot during which instant messages from a particular participant are acceptable.

18. The awareness service system of claim 14, wherein the instant messaging system provides, in an instant message, identification information about a sender of the instant message and publishes an awareness state to the sender of the instant message based on the identification information.

19. The awareness service system of claim 18, wherein the identification information indicates that the sender is a member of an extranet.

20. The awareness service system of claim 18, wherein the identification information indicates that the sender is a member of a department within an organization.

21. The awareness service system of claim 14, wherein the instant messaging system displays a list of participants in an electronic meeting and provides an indicator adjacent to a name of one participant on the list, the indicator signifying that the participant has produced a message, the message being viewable only by each participant of the awareness service system who is an attendee of the electronic meeting.

22. The awareness service system of claim 14, wherein the instant messaging system displays a list of participants in an electronic meeting and provides an indicator adjacent to a name of one participant on the list, the indicator providing location information identifying a geographical location of that participant, the instant messaging system publishing an awareness state to that one participant based on the location information.

23. A computer program product for use with a computer system for managing communications by a user of a computing device who participates in an instant messaging system, the computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having embodied therein program code comprising:

program code for publishing a first awareness state associated with the user to a first participant of the awareness service system, while publishing a second different awareness state associated with the user to a second participant of the awareness service system, each published awareness state being based on a collaborative relationship between the user and the participant to which that awareness state is published.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

program code for receiving, by the user, an instant message from one of the participants;

program code for automatically detecting that the user of the computing device is currently engaged in a particular activity; and

program code for automatically sending a reply to that one participant indicating that the user is currently unavailable for instant messaging.

25. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for use with a computer system for managing communications by a user of a computing device who participates in an instant messaging system, the computer system having a display and being capable of generating a user interface through which a user may interact with the computer system, the computer data signal comprising:

program code for publishing a first awareness state associated with the user to a first participant of the awareness service system, while publishing a second different awareness state associated with the user to a second participant of the awareness service system, each published awareness state being based on a collaborative relationship between the user and the participant to which that awareness state is published.

26. The computer data signal of claim 25, further comprising:

program code for receiving, by the user, an instant message from one of the participants;

program code for automatically detecting that the user of the computing device is currently engaged in a particular activity; and

program code for automatically sending a reply to that one participant indicating that the user is currently unavailable for instant messaging.