Scheduling calendar entries via an instant messaging interface

• US 8,972,494 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Handy-Bosma, John Hans, Selvage, Mei Yang, Walker, Keith Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Nawaz, Asad
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARLEY, JASON A
• Application Number:
  US11/335,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,330 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/205
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for scheduling calendaring entries within the context of an instant messaging client. The instant messaging client receives input from a user to schedule an instant messaging chat session with one or more invitees, wherein the one or more invitees are selected from a list of contacts in the instant messaging client. The instant messaging client provides a scheduling interface to the user, wherein the scheduling interface allows the user to define properties for the instant messaging chat session. Responsive to receiving user input defining the instant messaging chat session, an entry is created in the user'"'"'s calendaring system to form a scheduled instant messaging chat session, wherein the entry is based on the properties defined in the scheduling interface.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for scheduling calendar entries within a context of an instant messaging client, the computer implemented method comprising:

receiving input from a user to schedule an instant messaging chat session with one or more invitees, wherein the one or more invitees are selected from a list of contacts in the instant messaging client;

providing a scheduling interface to the user via the instant messaging client in response to receiving the input, wherein the scheduling interface allows the user to define properties for scheduling the instant messaging chat session from within the instant messaging client, and wherein the defined properties include content to be pre-filled into the instant messaging chat session when the instant messaging chat session is initiated; and

responsive to receiving user input defining the properties for scheduling the instant messaging chat session, creating an entry in a calendaring system of the user to form a scheduled instant messaging chat session, wherein the calendaring system of the user is implemented as a calendaring program external to the instant messaging client, and wherein the entry is based on the properties defined in the scheduling interface.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing the scheduling interface to the user further comprises:

requesting instant messaging scheduling and calendaring system capability information of an invitee from an instant messaging server; and

receiving the instant messaging scheduling and calendaring system capability information from the instant messaging server, wherein the instant messaging scheduling and calendaring system capability information is used by the instant messaging client to adjust a content of the scheduling interface provided to the user.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the creating step further comprises:

checking calendaring systems of the one or more invitees to determine availability of the one or more invitees;

scheduling the instant messaging chat session based on the availability of the one or more invitees.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an invitation to the instant messaging chat session to the one or more invitees.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the invitation includes options allowing the one or more invitees to accept, delay, or reschedule the scheduled instant messaging chat session.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the invitation includes options allowing the one or more invitees to at least one of delegate the instant messaging chat session to another person or automate a conference chat by proposing additional people be invited to the instant messaging chat session.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the invitation includes options allowing the one or more invitees to amend the properties defined by the user.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the properties defined in the scheduling interface include a date and time of the instant messaging chat session, topics to be discussed in the instant messaging chat session, notes regarding the instant messaging chat session, and documents related to the instant messaging chat session.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the properties include a reminder feature that alerts the user that the scheduled instant messaging chat session will begin within a specified time period.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein an invitee in the one or more invitees uses authorization rules to allow or block users from scheduling instant messaging chats with the invitee.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, in respective instant messaging windows of the selected one or more invitees, an instant messaging status of the user while the instant messaging scheduling window is presented to the user, wherein the instant messaging status indicates the user is scheduling an instant messaging chat session with the selected one or more invitees.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the defined properties include content to be attached as a document to the instant messaging chat session when the instant messaging chat session is initiated.

11. A data processing system for scheduling calendar entries within a context of an instant messaging client, the data processing system comprising:

a bus;

a storage device connected to the bus, wherein the storage device contains computer usable code;

at least one managed device connected to the bus;

a communications unit connected to the bus; and

a processing unit connected to the bus, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable code to receive input from a user to schedule an instant messaging chat session with one or more invitees, wherein the one or more invitees are selected from a list of contacts in the instant messaging client, provide a scheduling interface to the user via the instant messaging client in response to receiving the input, wherein the scheduling interface allows the user to define properties for scheduling the instant messaging chat session from within the instant messaging client, and wherein the defined properties include content to be pre-filled into the instant messaging chat session when the instant messaging chat session is initiated, and create an entry in a calendaring system of the user to form a scheduled instant messaging chat session in response to receiving user input defining properties for scheduling the instant messaging chat session, wherein the calendaring system of the user is implemented as a calendaring program external to the instant messaging client, and wherein the entry is based on the properties defined in the scheduling interface.

14. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the computer usable code to provide the scheduling interface to the user further comprises computer usable code to request instant messaging scheduling and calendaring system capability information of an invitee from an instant messaging server, and receive the instant messaging scheduling and calendaring system capability information from the instant messaging server, wherein the instant messaging scheduling and calendaring system capability information is used by the instant messaging client to adjust a content of the scheduling interface provided to the user.

15. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the computer usable code to create a entry in a calendaring system of the user further comprises computer usable code to check calendaring systems of the one or more invitees to determine availability of the one or more invitees, and schedule the instant messaging chat session based on the availability of the one or more invitees.

16. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the properties defined in the scheduling interface include a date and time of the instant messaging chat session, topics to be discussed in the instant messaging chat session, notes regarding the instant messaging chat session, and documents related to the instant messaging chat session.

17. A computer program product for scheduling calendar entries within a context of an instant messaging client, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code stored thereon, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code for receiving input from a user to schedule an instant messaging chat session with one or more invitees, wherein the one or more invitees are selected from a list of contacts in the instant messaging client;

computer usable program code for providing a scheduling interface to the user via the instant messaging client in response to receiving the input, wherein the scheduling interface allows the user to define properties for scheduling the instant messaging chat session from within the instant messaging client, and wherein the defined properties include content to be pre-filled into the instant messaging chat session when the instant messaging chat session is initiated; and

computer usable program code for creating an entry in a calendaring system of the user to form a scheduled instant messaging chat session in response to receiving user input defining the properties for scheduling the instant messaging chat session, wherein the calendaring system of the user is implemented as a calendaring program external to the instant messaging client, and wherein the entry is based on the properties defined in the scheduling interface.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer usable program code for providing the scheduling interface to the user further comprises:

computer usable program code for requesting instant messaging scheduling and calendaring system capability information of an invitee from an instant messaging server; and

computer usable program code for receiving the instant messaging scheduling and calendaring system capability information from the instant messaging server, wherein the instant messaging scheduling and calendaring system capability information is used by the instant messaging client to adjust a content of the scheduling interface provided to the user.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the properties defined in the scheduling interface include a date and time of the instant messaging chat session, topics to be discussed in the instant messaging chat session, notes regarding the instant messaging chat session, and documents related to the instant messaging chat session.