Method and apparatus for network to recommend best mode for user communication

• US 7,890,625 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Alpesh S., Toebes, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Philip B
• Application Number:
  US12/240,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-224, 709/203, 709/220
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

The present disclosure generally provides techniques and apparatuses for producing, for an initiating end user, a recommended mode of communication corresponding to a targeted end user in a network environment, based on a plurality of network accessible or determinable inputs. For example, the identity of an initiating end user, the identity of a targeted end user, the current activity of the targeted end user, the communication preferences of the targeted end user, information from available databases, and other available or determinable data may be used by a contact liaison to produce a recommended mode of communication.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring network activities of a plurality of end users;

determining one or more parameters indicating a state of a targeted end user based on the monitored network activities;

selecting at least one recommended mode of communication, from a set of communication modes including at least one mode of communication that utilizes the network, based on the state of the targeted end user as indicated by the parameters;

providing, to a requesting end user, the at least one recommended mode of communication for contacting the targeted end user;

receiving, from the requesting end user, a message destined for the targeted end user via a first mode of communication; and

proactively providing the at least one recommended mode of communication for contacting the targeted end user, if the first mode of communication does not match the at least one recommended mode of communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining one or more parameters comprises determining a location of the targeted end user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the location of the targeted end user comprises:

determining the location of the targeted end user based on an IP address of one or more data packets sent by the targeted end user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining one or more parameters indicating a state of a targeted end user comprises:

determining one or more user preferences, specified by the targeted end user, regarding recommended modes of communication.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user preferences comprise at least one of:

limitations on one or more recommended modes of communication based on a time of day; and

limitations on one or more recommended modes of communication based on a presence of the targeted end user in a restricted zone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining one or more parameters comprises determining a current activity of the targeted end user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the current activity of the targeted end user comprises:

receiving a destination IP address of one or more data packets sent by the targeted end user;

determining a domain name associated with the IP address with which the targeted end user is exchanging data; and

determining an active application based on the domain name of the IP address with which the targeted end user is exchanging data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one recommended mode of communication comprises:

evaluating a subset of the monitored network activities, stored in a network communication observation database, in light of the parameters; and

selecting at least one recommended mode of communication from the set of communication modes with a high probability of contacting the targeted end user based, at least in part, on the evaluation of the subset of the monitored network activities and the parameters.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request for a recommended mode of communication for contacting the targeted end user from the requesting end user.

10. An apparatus comprising:

means for monitoring network activities of a plurality of end users;

means for determining one or more parameters indicating a state of a targeted end user based on the monitored network activities;

means for selecting at least one recommended mode of communication, from a set of communication modes including at least one mode of communication that utilizes the network, based on the state of the targeted end user as indicated by the parameters;

means for providing, to a requesting end user, the at least one recommended mode of communication for contacting the targeted end user;

means for receiving, from the requesting end user, a message destined for the targeted end user via a first mode of communication; and

wherein the means for providing, to a requesting end user, the at least one recommended mode of communication for contacting the targeted end user is configured to proactively provide the at least one recommended mode of communication for contacting the targeted end user, if the first mode of communication does not match the at least one recommended mode of communication.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for determining one or more parameters is configured to determine a location of the targeted end user.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for determining the location of the targeted end user is configured to determine the location of the targeted end user based on an IP address of one or more data packets sent by the targeted end user.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

means for receiving a request for a recommended mode of communication for contacting the targeted end user from the requesting end user.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storage containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs operations, comprising:

monitoring network activities of a plurality of end users;

determining one or more parameters indicating a state of a targeted end user based on the monitored network activities;

selecting at least one recommended mode of communication, from a set of communication modes including at least one mode of communication that utilizes the network, based on the state of the targeted end user as indicated by the parameters;

providing, to a requesting end user, the at least one recommended mode of communication for contacting the targeted end user;

receiving, from the requesting end user, a message destined for the targeted end user via a first mode of communication; and

wherein providing, to a requesting end user, the at least one recommended mode of communication for contacting the targeted end user comprises proactively providing the at least one recommended mode of communication for contacting the targeted end user, if the first mode of communication does not match the at least one recommended mode of communication.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein determining one or more parameters comprises determining a location of the targeted end user.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein determining the location of the targeted end user comprises:

determining the location of the targeted end user based on an IP address of one or more data packets sent by the targeted end user.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request for a recommended mode of communication for contacting the targeted end user from the requesting end user.