COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD, TOOL, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR AUTOMATICALLY REPLYING TO AN INSTANT MESSAGE

• US 20160042322A1
• Filed: 10/26/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Waters, Timothy M., Chen, Yen-Fu D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,147,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• 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

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a computer-implemented method, system, tool, and program product for sending a customized reply to an instant message. Specifically, under the present disclosure, a customized message may be provided for a specific instant messaging contact/availability status combination. When the availability status is selected and a message is received from the instant messaging contact, the customized message is automatically sent to the messaging contact. The disclosure may also be integrated into a calendaring application to determine, for example, whether the message recipient is in a meeting and, if so, to automatically send a reply that gives an estimated ending time for the meeting.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for replying to an instant message from an instant message contact, comprising:

receiving a calendar availability status of an instant message receiver from a calendaring application;

determining whether previously receiver-defined settings enable display of a message corresponding to the calendaring application;

automatically providing a first customized message corresponding to the instant messaging contact and the calendar availability status of the receiver in response to the previously receiver-defined settings enabling display of the message corresponding to the calendaring application, wherein the first customized message is selected from one of a plurality of previously receiver-defined customized messages, the selecting of the first customized message being based on both an identity of the instant messaging contact and the calendar availability status of the receiver;

determining a current status of the receiver and providing a second customized message based upon both the identity of the instant messaging contact and the current status of the receiver in response to the previously receiver-defined settings not enabling display of the message corresponding to the calendaring application; and

automatically sending one of the first customized message or the second customized message to the instant messaging contact in response to the instant message having been received from the instant messaging contact.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the instant messaging contact is an individual.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the instant messaging contact is a group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the current availability status is selected from the group consisting of active, away, do not disturb, and not online.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the calendar availability status of the instant message receiver indicates a meeting status, the method further comprising:

determining whether the instant messaging contact is a participant in a meeting; and

allowing the first customized message to be delivered if the determination is positive.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first customized message includes an indicator of a remaining time in the meeting.

7. A computer-implemented system including at least one computing device for replying to an instant message from an instant message contact, the system comprising:

an initialization system having;

a component for receiving a calendar availability status of an instant message receiver from a calendaring application;

a component for determining whether previously receiver-defined settings enable display of a message corresponding to the calendaring application;

a component for automatically providing a first customized message corresponding to the instant messaging contact and the calendar availability status of the receiver in response to the previously receiver-defined settings enabling display of the message corresponding to the calendaring application, wherein the first customized message is selected from one of a plurality of receiver-defined customized messages, the selecting of the first customized message being based on both an identity of the instant messaging contact and the calendar availability status of the receiver; and

a component for determining a current status of the receiver and providing a customized message based upon both the identity of the instant messaging contact and the current status of the receiver, in response to the previously receiver-defined settings not enabling display of the message corresponding to the calendaring application; and

an instant message response system for automatically sending one of the first customized message or the second customized message to the instant messaging contact in response to the instant message having been received from the instant messaging contact.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the instant messaging contact is an individual.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the instant messaging contact is a group.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the current availability status is selected from the group consisting of active, away, do not disturb, and not online.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the calendar availability status of the instant message receiver indicates a meeting status, the system further comprising:

a component for determining whether the instant messaging contact is a participant in a meeting; and

means for allowing the first customized message to be delivered if the determination is positive.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first customized message includes an indicator of a remaining time in the meeting.

17. The program product of claim 11, wherein the calendar availability status of the instant message receiver indicates a meeting status, the program code further causing the computer system to perform the following:

determining whether the instant messaging contact is a participant in a meeting; and

allowing the first customized message to be delivered if the determination is positive.

18. The program product of claim 17, wherein the first customized message includes an indicator of a remaining time in the meeting.

13. A program product stored on a non-transient computer readable storage medium for replying to an instant message from an instant message contact, the computer readable medium comprising a storage medium including program code for causing a computer system to perform the following:

receiving a calendar availability status of an instant message receiver from a calendaring application;

determining whether previously receiver-defined settings enable display of a message corresponding to the calendaring application;

automatically providing a first customized message corresponding to the instant messaging contact and the calendar availability status of the receiver in response to the previously receiver-defined settings enabling display of the message corresponding to the calendaring application, wherein the first customized message is selected from one of a plurality of previously receiver-defined customized messages, the selecting of the first customized message being based on both an identity of the instant messaging contact and the calendar availability status of the receiver;

determining a current status of the receiver and providing a second customized message based upon both the identity of the instant messaging contact and the current status of the receiver in response to the previously receiver-defined settings not enabling display of the message corresponding to the calendaring application; and

automatically sending one of the first customized message or the second customized message to the instant messaging contact in response to the instant message having been received from the instant messaging contact.

14. The program product of claim 13, wherein the instant messaging contact is an individual.

15. The program product of claim 13, wherein the instant messaging contact is a group.

16. The program product method of claim 13, wherein the current availability status is selected from the group consisting of active, away, do not disturb, and not online.