IP Library Granted Patent US 11,049,076
Granted Patent B2
US 11,049,076 · App. 15/973,168 · Granted Jun 29, 2021

Routing of meeting requests and follow-up queries by digital assistants

Inventors: Juliana Pena Ocampo (Redmond, WA); Mayerber Loureiro De Carvalho Neto (Kirkland, WA); Charles Yin-Che Lee (Mercer Island, WA); Ben Cheung (Redmond, WA); Pamela Bhattacharya (Redmond, WA); Chala Fekadu Fufa (Seattle, WA); Warren David Johnson, III (Sammamish, WA)
Assignee: Microsoft Techology Licensing, LLC
G06Q10/1095G06Q10/107H04L12/1818H04L51/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,049,076
App. No.
15/973,168
Granted
Jun 29, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, systems, methods and devices for routing meeting requests by a digital assistant service are presented. A request to schedule a meeting between an invitee and a principal may be received by a digital assistant service, wherein the request is sent by an agent of the principal. The digital assistant service may determine that the agent is a delegate of the principal with scheduling authority. The digital assistant service may further determine that follow-up information for the meeting is required, and the digital assistant service may route an electronic message requesting the follow-up information directly the agent-delegate. Other aspects describe mechanisms for routing meeting requests from third parties directly to delegates, rather than sending those communications directly to principals.

Claims (59)

1. A computer-implemented method for routing an electronic meeting request by a digital assistant service, the method comprising:

receiving, by the digital assistant service, an electronic request to schedule a meeting between an invitee and a principal;

analyzing, by the digital assistant service, a plurality of headers in the electronic request;

determining, by the digital assistant service from a first one of the plurality of headers, that an agent of the principal sent the electronic request;

determining, by the digital assistant service from a second one of the plurality of headers that the agent sent the electronic request on behalf of the principal from an electronic messaging account of the principal;

determining, based on the analysis of the plurality of headers by the digital assistant service, that the agent is a delegate of the principal's electronic messaging account with scheduling authorization;

determining, by the digital assistant service, that follow-up information for the meeting is required;

routing, via a distributed computer network by the digital assistant service based on the principal's designation of the agent as a delegate, an electronic message requesting the follow-up information to an electronic messaging account of the agent;

receiving, by the digital assistant service, the follow-up information from the electronic messaging account of the agent;

analyzing, by the digital assistant service, electronic calendar information in a network-based user store, for the invitee and the principal;

identifying, based on the analysis, a time that is free for the invitee and the principal; and

automatically generating, by the digital assistant service, a first meeting entry at the time for the meeting in an electronic calendar of the principal, and a second meeting entry at the time for the meeting in an electronic calendar of the invitee.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the follow-up information comprises a phone number where the principal can be reached for the meeting.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the follow-up information comprises a location where the meeting is to take place.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the follow-up information comprises a date and a time when the meeting is to take place.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining, by the digital assistant service, that follow-up information for the meeting is required comprises:

receiving an electronic request for the follow-up information from the invitee.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining, by the digital assistant service, that follow-up information for the meeting is required comprises:

determining, by the digital assistant service, that at least one of: a time; a date; a location; and a contact phone number for the principal, are not included in the electronic request.

7. A computer-readable storage device comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, assist with routing an electronic meeting request by a digital assistant service, the computer-readable storage device including instructions executable by the processor for:

receiving, by the digital assistant service, an electronic request to schedule a meeting between a user and a principal;

analyzing, by the digital assistant service, a plurality of headers in the electronic request;

determining, by the digital assistant service from a first one of the plurality of headers, that an agent of the principal sent the electronic request;

determining, by the digital assistant service from a second one of the plurality of headers that the agent sent the electronic request on behalf of the principal from an electronic messaging account of the principal;

determining, based on the analysis of the plurality of headers by the digital assistant service, that an agent is a delegate of the principal's electronic messaging account with scheduling authorization;

routing, by the digital assistant service based on the agent being a delegate of the principal's electronic messaging account with scheduling authorization, the electronic request to an electronic messaging account of the agent

determining, by the digital assistant service, that follow-up information for the meeting is required;

routing, via a distributed computer network by the digital assistant service based on the agent being a delegate of the principal's electronic messaging account with scheduling authorization, an electronic message requesting the follow-up information to the electronic messaging account of the agent;

receiving, by the digital assistant service, the follow-up information from the electronic messaging account of the agent;

analyzing, by the digital assistant service, electronic calendar information in a network-based user store, for the user and the principal;

identifying, based on the analysis, a time that is free for the user and the principal; and

automatically generating, by the digital assistant service, a first meeting entry at the time for the meeting in an electronic calendar of the principal, and a second meeting entry at the time for the meeting in an electronic calendar of the user.

8. The computer-readable storage device of claim 7 , wherein in determining, by the digital assistant service, that follow-up information for the meeting is required, the instructions are further executable by the processor for:

receiving an electronic request for the follow-up information from the user.

9. The computer-readable storage device of claim 7 , wherein in determining, by the digital assistant service, that follow-up information for the meeting is required, the instructions are further executable by the processor for:

determining, by the digital assistant service, that at least one of: a time; a date; a location; and a contact number for the principal, are not included in the electronic request.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 7 , wherein the follow-up information comprises a phone number where the principal can be reached for the meeting.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 7 , wherein the follow-up information comprises a location where the meeting is to take place.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 7 , wherein the follow-up information comprises a date and time when the meeting is to take place.

13. A system for routing a meeting request by a digital assistant service, comprising:

a memory for storing executable program code; and

one or more processors, functionally coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code and operative to:

receive, by the digital assistant service, an electronic request to schedule a meeting between an invitee and a principal;

analyze, by the digital assistant service, a plurality of headers in the electronic request;

determine, by the digital assistant service from a first one of the plurality of headers, that an agent of the principal sent the electronic request;

determine, by the digital assistant service from a second one of the plurality of headers that the agent sent the electronic request on behalf of the principal from an electronic messaging account of the principal;

determine, based on the analysis of the plurality of headers by the digital assistant service, that the agent is a delegate of the principal's electronic messaging account with scheduling authorization;

determine, by the digital assistant service, that follow-up information for the meeting is required;

rout, via a distributed computer network by the digital assistant service based on the principal's designation of the agent as a delegate, an electronic message requesting the follow-up information to an electronic messaging account of the agent;

receive, by the digital assistant service, the follow-up information from the electronic messaging account of the agent;

analyze, by the digital assistant service, electronic calendar information in a network-based user store, for the invitee and the principal;

identify, based on the analysis, a time that is free for the invitee and the principal; and

automatically generate, by the digital assistant service, a first meeting entry at the time for the meeting in an electronic calendar of the principal, and a second meeting entry at the time for the meeting in an electronic calendar of the invitee.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein determining, by the digital assistant service, that follow-up information for the meeting is required comprises: receiving an electronic request for the follow-up information from the invitee.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein in determining, by the digital assistant service, that follow-up information for the meeting is required, the one or more processors are further responsive to the computer-executable instructions and operative to:

determine that at least one of: a time; a date; a location; and a contact phone number for the principal, are not included in the electronic request.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the follow-up information comprises a phone number where the principal can be reached for the meeting.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the follow-up information comprises a location where the meeting is to take place.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the follow-up information comprises a date and time when the meeting is to take place.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2018
From: PENA OCAMPO, JULIANA; LOUREIRO DE CARVALHO NETO, MAYERBER; LEE, CHARLES YIN-CHE; CHEUNG, BEN; BHATTACHARYA, PAMELA; FUFA, CHALA FEKADU; JOHNSON, WARREN DAVID, III
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 046254/0600 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190340581A1 · Nov 7, 2019