Rules based real-time communication system
View Patent ↗A rules-based real-time messaging system for groups of users, in which an availability status may be maintained in association with each user. Clients are communicably coupled to a real-time messaging server, which maintains indications of the online/offline presence status of each user, as well as other user attributes. Rules and a rules engine are maintained in the real-time messaging server for controlling the delivery of messages to users, and for controlling how the availability of users is provided to other users. Based on the specific rules stored on the real-time messaging server, the rules engine determines the state of various relevant conditions, such as the availability status of users of the system, and also detects the occurrence of various real-time events, such as a user logging-on to or logging-off from the system, in order to control the delivery of various types of messages and/or performance of resulting actions.
1. A method of supporting real-time communication between at least two users, comprising the steps of:
receiving at least one request for at least one real-time action, wherein said request includes a list of participant users to participate in said real-time action;
in a first determining step, determining, responsive to said at least one request, a status of at least one condition, wherein said status of said at least one condition indicates whether at least one of said participant users is available to participate in said real-time action, and wherein said status of said at least one condition is responsive to an online presence of said at least one of said participant users;
in a second determining step, determining whether said at least one real-time action can be performed responsive to said status of said at least one condition; and
performing said real-time action in the event that a determination is made that said real-time action can be performed,
wherein said second determining step and said performing step are responsive to a processing of at least one rule, said at least one rule having a logical structure defined by at least one of at least one condition and at least one event notification, said at least one rule defining a specified relationship between said at least one condition, said at least one event notification, and said real-time action.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said request is a request to convene an automated meeting activity, wherein said request includes a list of participant users for said automated meeting activity, and wherein said determining whether said at least one real-time action can be performed includes determining whether at least one of said participant users is available for said automated meeting activity.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said determining whether at least one of said participant users is available for said automated meeting is responsive to at least one event notification indicating that said at least one of said participant users is presently using at least one software program on a client system.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said at least one event notification indicates that said at least one of said participant users is currently using instant messaging client software on said at least one client system.
5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining a stand-in participant user if, in the first determining step, it is determined that at least one of said participant users is not available for said automated meeting activity.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said list of participant users to participate in said real time action includes a name of a group of users, and further comprising selecting one of said group of users to participate in said real time action.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said selecting said one of said group of users to participate in said real time action includes applying a predetermined selection technique associated with said group of users.
8. The method of claim 2 , wherein said automated meeting activity comprises an online meeting.
9. The method of claim 2 , wherein said automated meeting activity comprises a teleconference.
10. The method of claim 2 , wherein said automated meeting activity comprises a shared whiteboard.
11. The method of claim 2 , wherein said automated meeting activity comprises a remote presentation.
12. The method of claim 2 , wherein said automated meeting activity comprises a video conference.
13. A system for supporting communication between at least two users, comprising:
at least one processor;
a computer program storage memory communicably coupled with said at least one processor, said computer storage memory including at least one computer program executable on said at least one processor, said computer program including
program code for receiving at least one request for at least one real-time action, wherein said request includes a list of participant users to participate in said real-time action;
program code for determining, responsive to said at least one request, a status of at least one condition, wherein said status of said at least one condition indicates whether at least one of said participant users is available to participate in said real-time action, and wherein said status of said at least one condition is responsive to an online presence of said at least one of said participant users;
program code for determining whether said at least one real-time action can be performed responsive to said status of said at least condition; and
program code for performing said real-time action in the event that a determination is made that said real-time action can be performed,
wherein said program code for determining whether said at least one real-time action can be performed and said program code for performing said real-time action are responsive to a processing of at least one rule, said at least one rule having a logical structure defined by at least one of at least one condition and at least one event notification, said at least one rule defining a specified relationship between said at least one condition, said at least one event notification, and said real-time action.
14. A method of supporting communication between at least two users, comprising the steps of:
in a first receiving step, receiving at least one request, wherein said request is a request to convene an automated meeting activity, wherein said request includes a list of user participants for said automated meeting activity;
in a second receiving step, receiving at least one event notification;
in a first determining step, determining a status of at least one condition;
in a second determining step, determining whether at least one action can be performed responsive to said event notification and said status of said at least one event notification, wherein said determining whether said at least one action can be performed includes determining whether at least one of said user participants is available for said automated meeting activity, and wherein said determining whether at least one of said user participants is available for said automated meeting is responsive to at least one event notification indicating that said at least one of said user participants is presently using at least one client system; and
performing said at least one action if, in said second determining step, it is determined that said at least one action can be performed,
wherein said determining whether said at least one action can be performed in said second determining step, and said performing said at least one action, are responsive to a processing of at least one rule, said at least one rule having a logical structure defined by at least one of at least one condition and at least one event notification, said at least one rule defining a specified relationship between said at least one condition, said at least one event notification, and said action.