Delegating instant messaging sessions

• US 8,230,024 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ramanathan, Rajesh, Shtiegman, Eran
• Primary Examiner(s): RECEK, JASON D
• Application Number:
  US11/770,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,853 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates redirecting an instant messaging session or an instant messaging communication. An interface component can receive a portion of data related to an instant messaging session, wherein the portion of data is associated with an instant messaging communication. A delegation component can automatically route the instant messaging session to a delegate for receipt of the instant messaging communication based upon a rule.

Claims

1. A system comprising at least one processor coupled to at least one machine-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to implement:

a delegation component configured to automatically re-direct an instant messaging communication from an entity intended for receipt of the instant messaging communication to a delegate, based on a rule;

a continuation component configured to continue or restart the instant messaging communication with the entity;

a log component configured to

monitor at least one of an approval to send the instant messaging communication to the delegate or a disapproval to send the instant messaging communication to the delegate, and correspondingly modify the rule to indicate a preference,

monitor a topic of the instant messaging communication, and

provide a logged summarization of a content, including the topic, of communications during the instant messaging communication; and

an extender component configured to apply the rule in at least one additional communication mode other than instant messaging, the at least one additional communication mode including at least one of email, voice, audio, voicemail or text messaging,

wherein the extender component is further configured to translate a forwarding rule associated with the at least one additional communication mode for application by the delegation component, and

wherein the extender component is further configured to automatically create the rule based on evaluating disparate data communication modes and identifying delegation and forwarding rules associated with the disparate data communication modes for emulating in the instant messaging communication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the continuation component is further configured to interject an instant message communication into a communication between the delegate and a sender.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the delegation component is further configured to

provide a notification related to at least one of the delegate, a duration of delegation, or a reason for delegation, the notification comprising a request for approval to send the instant messaging communication to the delegate, and

if the request for approval is denied,

notify a delegating server in a header of an invitation to the instant messaging communication not to send the instant messaging communication to an indicated delegate, and

cause the instant messaging communication to fail if sent to the indicated delegate.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the rule is associated with at least one of an email application or a calendar application.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the rule is configured to control at least one of viewing access or editing access to historic data associated with the instant messaging communication.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the rule is configured to determine a time allotted to allow the instant messaging communication to be continued.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the rule includes data related to at least one of a length of enforcement, a duration of delegation for the instant messaging communication, an assigned delegate, a notification setting, an assigned delegate for a specific sender, an assigned delegate for a particular incoming instant messaging communication, an accessibility privilege related to historic data of the instant messaging communication, an option related to continuing the instant messaging communication, a data communication extension setting, a password setting, a logging option, a historic item tracking setting, or a routing option.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the rule identifies a plurality of delegates from which a particular delegate is selectable to receive the instant messaging communication.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the log component is configured to track at least one delegated instant messaging communication.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the delegation component is further configured to comply with a designation of the instant messaging communication indicating that the instant messaging communication is not to be re-directed to the delegate.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an automatic delegate identifier configured to identify the delegate by evaluating a portion of data related to at least one of a current instant messaging communication, an incoming instant messaging communication, data within an incoming instant messaging communication, a current instant messaging session, a previous instant messaging communication, a previous instant messaging session, an inferred context related to an instant messaging communication, an inferred topic related to an instant messaging communication, an inferred context related to an instant messaging session, or an inferred topic related to an instant messaging session.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the delegation component is further configured to re-direct the instant messaging communication re-directed to the delegate to a sender, with an audio-visual feedback permitting the sender to choose whether to proceed with a conversation with the delegate.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a universal notification component configured to provide notification across a plurality of communication modes including at least one of email, voice, audio, voicemail, video, text message, VoIP communication, or short message service (SMS).

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the delegation component is further configured to prioritize delivery of a pending instant messaging communication between a manager and the delegate based on an order of the manager and the delegate assuming online status.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the delegation component is still further configured to, if the delegate is offline, route the pending instant messaging communication to the manager instead of the delegate.

16. A computer-implemented method comprising using a processor coupled to a memory to perform at least one of the following operations:

for an instant messaging communication from a sender to an entity intended for receipt of the instant messaging communication, re-directing the instant messaging communication from the entity to a delegate according to a rule;

automatically identifying the delegate based on the delegate having pre-existing knowledge of a topic or context of the instant messaging communication;

notifying the sender of the re-directing of the instant messaging communication;

initiating the instant messaging communication between the delegate and the sender;

accessing a history item related to the instant messaging communication;

continuing or restarting the instant messaging communication between the entity and the sender using the history item;

creating the rule automatically based on evaluating disparate data communication modes and identifying delegation and forwarding rules associated with the disparate data communication modes for emulating in the instant messaging communication; and

applying the rule in at least one additional communication mode other than instant messaging, the at least one additional communication mode including at least one of email, voice, audio, voicemail or text messaging.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving at least one of an approval of the redirecting or a denial of the redirecting;

terminating the instant messaging communication if the receiving is of the denial of the redirecting; and

supporting the instant messaging communication if the receiving is of the approval of the redirecting.

18. A computer-readable storage memory storing instructions that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

re-directing an instant messaging communication from an entity intended for receipt of the instant messaging communication to a delegate based upon a delegation rule;

automatically identifying the delegate based on previous delegation assignments;

monitoring a topic of the instant messaging communication and logging a summarization of content of the instant messaging communication including the topic;

continuing or restarting the instant messaging communication with the entity;

creating the delegation rule automatically based on evaluating disparate data communication modes and identifying delegation and forwarding rules associated with the disparate data communication modes for emulating in the instant messaging communication; and

applying the delegation rule in at least one additional communication mode other than instant messaging, the at least one additional communication mode including at least one of email, voice, audio, voicemail or text messaging.