METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING AN INSTANT MESSAGING SYSTEM TO GATHER INFORMATION FOR A BACKEND PROCESS

• US 20080147774A1
• Filed: 12/15/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tummalapenta, Srinivas Babu, Watkins, Marcus Ian
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• 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 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

A method and system for using an instant messaging system to gather information for a backend process. A query for information accessible by a client of a plurality of clients is automatically generated by the backend process. The backend process is separate from the plurality of clients and from an instant message server that provides an IM service to the plurality of clients. The query is sent from the backend process to the client via the IM server. In real-time via the IM server, the backend process receives a response to the query from the client. The response is either (1) the requested information, which is placed in the response by an end user using the client or by an automated software agent residing on the client, or (2) a notification that indicates that the end user is unavailable to provide the requested information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of using an instant messaging system to gather information for a backend process, said method comprising:

automatically generating a query for information by a backend process of a computing system, said information accessible by a client computing unit of a plurality of client computing units, said plurality of client computing units being in communication via a network with an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to said plurality of client computing units, said query not being initiated by any end user associated with any client computing unit of said plurality of client computing units, and said backend process being an automated server process separate from said instant message server and not executing on any client computing unit of said plurality of client computing units;

sending a first instant message that includes said query from said backend process to said client computing unit via said instant message server;

receiving, by said backend process in real-time and from said client computing unit via said instant message server, a second instant message that includes a final response to said query, wherein said final response is selected from a group consisting of;

said information placed in said second instant message by an end user utilizing said client computing unit or by an automatic execution of a software agent residing on said client computing unit, said automatic execution not requiring an interaction with said client computing unit by any end user, and

a notification that does not include said information, said notification indicating that said end user is not available to provide said information to said backend process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said final response is said information and said information is placed in said second instant message by said end user, and wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, by said backend process, an initial response to said query;

determining, by said backend process, that said initial response is not intelligible based on an application by said backend process of one or more predetermined rules;

providing, by said backend process in response to said determining, one or more replies that are intelligible based on said one or more predetermined rules; and

receiving, by said backend process and from said client computing unit, a reply of said one or more replies, said reply included in said final response.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said final response is said information and said information is placed in said second instant message by said automatic execution of said software agent, wherein said automatically generating includes inserting one or more key words in said query, and wherein said method further comprises:

determining that said one or more key words are associated with said software agent; and

executing said software agent by an instant message client residing on said client computing unit, said executing said software agent including locating said information, placing said information in said second instant message, and sending said second instant message to said backend process via said instant message server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatically generating said query includes inserting into said first instant message an inquiry associated with a status of a task of a workflow, wherein said information includes said status,

wherein a responsibility for completing said task is pre-assigned to said end user, and

wherein another end user is pre-assigned as an escalation person associated with said end user, said escalation person to be notified:

if said final response is said information and said status included in said information indicates that said task is not complete within a predetermined time period, or

if said final response is said notification and said end user is not available to provide said status to said backend process.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said final response is said information and said status included in said information indicates that said task is not complete within said predetermined time period, and wherein said method further comprises:

receiving said status by said backend process;

determining, by said backend process, that said task is incomplete based on said status; and

sending, in response to said determining that said task is incomplete, an escalation instant message by said backend process to said escalation person via said instant message server, said sending said escalation instant message including notifying said escalation person of said task being incomplete.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said final response is said notification and said end user is not available to provide said status to said backend process, and wherein said method further comprises:

determining, by said backend process, that said end user is unavailable to provide said status to said backend process based on said notification included in said second instant message; and

sending, in response to said determining that said end user is unavailable, an escalation instant message by said backend process to said escalation person via said instant message server, said sending said escalation instant message including notifying said escalation person of said end user being unavailable to provide said status.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending said first instant message comprises sending said query from said backend process to said instant message server via another instant message server,

wherein said receiving said second instant message comprises receiving said final response from said instant message server via said another instant message server, and

wherein said instant message server is different from said another instant message server, said instant message server is managed by a first organizational entity, said another instant message server is managed by a second organizational entity, and said first organizational entity and said second organizational entity are different.

8. A computing system comprising a processor and a computer-readable memory unit coupled to said processor, said memory unit containing instructions that when executed by said processor implement a method of using an instant messaging system to gather information for a backend process, said method comprising:

automatically generating a query for information by a backend process of a computing system, said information accessible by a client computing unit of a plurality of client computing units, said plurality of client computing units being in communication via a network with an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to said plurality of client computing units, said query not being initiated by any end user associated with any client computing unit of said plurality of client computing units, and said backend process being an automated server process separate from said instant message server and not executing on any client computing unit of said plurality of client computing units;

sending a first instant message that includes said query from said backend process to said client computing unit via said instant message server;

receiving, by said backend process in real-time and from said client computing unit via said instant message server, a second instant message that includes a final response to said query, wherein said final response is selected from a group consisting of;

said information placed in said second instant message by an end user utilizing said client computing unit or by an automatic execution of a software agent residing on said client computing unit, said automatic execution not requiring an interaction with said client computing unit by any end user, and

a notification that does not include said information, said notification indicating that said end user is not available to provide said information to said backend process.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said final response is said information and said information is placed in said second instant message by said end user, and wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, by said backend process, an initial response to said query;

determining, by said backend process, that said initial response is not intelligible based on an application by said backend process of one or more predetermined rules;

providing, by said backend process in response to said determining, one or more replies that are intelligible based on said one or more predetermined rules; and

receiving, by said backend process and from said client computing unit, a reply of said one or more replies, said reply included in said final response.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said final response is said information and said information is placed in said second instant message by said automatic execution of said software agent, wherein said automatically generating includes inserting one or more key words in said query, and wherein said method further comprises:

determining that said one or more key words are associated with said software agent; and

executing said software agent by an instant message client residing on said client computing unit, said executing said software agent including locating said information, placing said information in said second instant message, and sending said second instant message to said backend process via said instant message server.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said automatically generating said query includes inserting into said first instant message an inquiry associated with a status of a task of a workflow,

wherein said information includes said status,

wherein a responsibility for completing said task is pre-assigned to said end user, and

wherein another end user is pre-assigned as an escalation person associated with said end user, said escalation person to be notified:

if said final response is said information and said status included in said information indicates that said task is not complete within a predetermined time period, or

if said final response is said notification and said end user is not available to provide said status to said backend process.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said final response is said information and said status included in said information indicates that said task is not complete within said predetermined time period, and wherein said method further comprises:

receiving said status by said backend process;

determining, by said backend process, that said task is incomplete based on said status; and

sending, in response to said determining that said task is incomplete, an escalation instant message by said backend process to said escalation person via said instant message server, said sending said escalation instant message including notifying said escalation person of said task being incomplete.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said final response is said notification and said end user is not available to provide said status to said backend process, and wherein said method further comprises:

determining, by said backend process, that said end user is unavailable to provide said status to said backend process based on said notification included in said second instant message; and

sending, in response to said determining that said end user is unavailable, an escalation instant message by said backend process to said escalation person via said instant message server, said sending said escalation instant message including notifying said escalation person of said end user being unavailable to provide said status.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said sending said first instant message comprises sending said query from said backend process to said instant message server via another instant message server,

wherein said receiving said second instant message comprises receiving said final response from said instant message server via said another instant message server, and

wherein said instant message server is different from said another instant message server, said instant message server is managed by a first organizational entity, said another instant message server is managed by a second organizational entity, and said first organizational entity and said second organizational entity are different.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium including computer-usable program code for using an instant messaging system to gather information for a backend process, said computer program product comprising:

computer-usable code for automatically generating a query for information by a backend process of a computing system, said information accessible by a client computing unit of a plurality of client computing units, said plurality of client computing units being in communication via a network with an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to said plurality of client computing units, said query not being initiated by any end user associated with any client computing unit of said plurality of client computing units, and said backend process being an automated server process separate from said instant message server and not executing on any client computing unit of said plurality of client computing units;

computer-usable code for sending a first instant message that includes said query from said backend process to said client computing unit via said instant message server;

computer-usable code for receiving, by said backend process in real-time and from said client computing unit via said instant message server, a second instant message that includes a final response to said query, wherein said final response is selected from a group consisting of;

said information placed in said second instant message by an end user utilizing said client computing unit or by an automatic execution of a software agent residing on said client computing unit, said automatic execution not requiring an interaction with said client computing unit by any end user, and

a notification that does not include said information, said notification indicating that said end user is not available to provide said information to said backend process.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein said final response is said information and said information is placed in said second instant message by said end user, and wherein said program product further comprises:

computer-usable code for receiving, by said backend process, an initial response to said query;

computer-usable code for determining, by said backend process, that said initial response is not intelligible based on an application by said backend process of one or more predetermined rules;

computer-usable code for providing, by said backend process in response to said determining, one or more replies that are intelligible based on said one or more predetermined rules; and

computer-usable code for receiving, by said backend process and from said client computing unit, a reply of said one or more replies, said reply included in said final response.

17. The program product of claim 15, wherein said final response is said information and said information is placed in said second instant message by said automatic execution of said software agent, wherein said computer-usable code for automatically generating includes computer-usable code for inserting one or more key words in said query, and wherein said program product further comprises:

computer-usable code for determining that said one or more key words are associated with said software agent; and

computer-usable code for executing said software agent by an instant message client residing on said client computing unit, said computer-usable code for executing said software agent including computer-usable code for locating said information, computer-usable code for placing said information in said second instant message, and computer-usable code for sending said second instant message to said backend process via said instant message server.

18. A process for supporting computing infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computing system, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing a method of using an instant messaging system to gather information for a backend process, said method comprising:

automatically generating a query for information by a backend process of a computing system, said information accessible by a client computing unit of a plurality of client computing units, said plurality of client computing units being in communication via a network with an instant message server that provides an instant messaging service to said plurality of client computing units, said query not being initiated by any end user associated with any client computing unit of said plurality of client computing units, and said backend process being an automated server process separate from said instant message server and not executing on any client computing unit of said plurality of client computing units;

sending a first instant message that includes said query from said backend process to said client computing unit via said instant message server;

receiving, by said backend process in real-time and from said client computing unit via said instant message server, a second instant message that includes a final response to said query, wherein said final response is selected from a group consisting of;

said information placed in said second instant message by an end user utilizing said client computing unit or by an automatic execution of a software agent residing on said client computing unit, said automatic execution not requiring an interaction with said client computing unit by any end user, and

a notification that does not include said information, said notification indicating that said end user is not available to provide said information to said backend process.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein said final response is said information and said information is placed in said second instant message by said end user, and wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, by said backend process, an initial response to said query;

determining, by said backend process, that said initial response is not intelligible based on an application by said backend process of one or more predetermined rules;

providing, by said backend process in response to said determining, one or more replies that are intelligible based on said one or more predetermined rules; and

receiving, by said backend process and from said client computing unit, a reply of said one or more replies, said reply included in said final response.

20. The process of claim 18, wherein said final response is said information and said information is placed in said second instant message by said automatic execution of said software agent, wherein said automatically generating includes inserting one or more key words in said query, and wherein said method further comprises:

determining that said one or more key words are associated with said software agent; and

executing said software agent by an instant message client residing on said client computing unit, said executing said software agent including locating said information, placing said information in said second instant message, and sending said second instant message to said backend process via said instant message server.