Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for determining, for each candidate communication medium, the availability of one or more telecommunications endpoint users for participating in a communication session of interest (i.e., either new or existing) via the evaluated medium. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, an availability manager determines the availability based on (i) one or more discrete rules, or (ii) one or more continuous functions, or both. The continuous functions are specified with respect to the time that has elapsed since a previous session, the time remaining in an active session, and the expected duration of a new session. Once it has determined the availability of one or more participants in the communication session, the availability manager of the illustrative embodiment transmits one or more signals to a call-processing server, which then sets up the participants on the session via the appropriate communication medium such as voice, instant messaging, and so forth.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for determining, for each candidate communication medium, the availability of one or more telecommunications endpoint users for participating in a communication session of interest (i.e., either new or existing) via the evaluated medium. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, an availability manager determines the availability based on (i) one or more discrete rules, or (ii) one or more continuous functions, or both. The continuous functions are specified with respect to the time that has elapsed since a previous session, the time remaining in an active session, and the expected duration of a new session. Once it has determined the availability of one or more participants in the communication session, the availability manager of the illustrative embodiment transmits one or more signals to a call-processing server, which then sets up the participants on the session via the appropriate communication medium such as voice, instant messaging, and so forth.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a user of a telecommunications terminal to specify desired characteristics for the recipient of a call in lieu of a contact identifier are disclosed. The illustrative embodiment enables a user to specify one or more of the following criteria for a recipient: (i) a role requirement that specifies a role (e.g., a nurse, a doctor, etc.); (ii) a capability requirement that specifies one or more capabilities (e.g., able to speak Spanish, etc.); (iii) a location requirement (e.g., on the third floor of Building A, etc.); and (iv) a cardinality descriptor for the number of recipients (e.g., one recipient, at least three recipients, etc.). The illustrative embodiment also employs availability data (e.g., a schedule, etc.) and rules to determine whether a particular person is available to receive a call.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed that enable a caller to specify a condition of availability for a return call when the caller is unable to reach the called user. A condition might indicate a time interval in which the caller is willing to accept a return call, a location, or some other constraints. In the illustrative embodiments, when a caller places a call and is unable to reach the called user, the caller is prompted via an interactive voice response (IVR) system for one or more conditions of availability for a return call. As soon as the called user's terminal becomes available, a software application checks whether the condition of availability is satisfied, and if so, establishes a call between the caller's terminal and the called user's terminal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling an availability of a user in an enterprise environment. If an enterprise user requests to change an availability status on one or more media, a determination is made as to whether to grant the request based on one or more predefined criteria associated with the enterprise. For example, the predefined criteria may comprise resource needs or one or more policies of the enterprise. The predefined criteria may be expressed as one or more rules in a rule base.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for collecting proxy presence information about an object associated with a user from one or more proxy presence sources associated with the user. A proxy presence agent is associated with each of the proxy presence sources; and the proxy presence agents provide proxy presence information to one or more presence servers. The object may be, for example, one or more of a business document, an application document, or one or more runtime objects associated with the user. The proxy presence agent reports one or more of macropresence events and micropresence events related to the object. A continuous presence function is generated for each of the proxy presence sources that characterizes the likelihood that the object is active at the corresponding presence source at a given time. The proxy presence sources may include, for example, one or more business applications, application execution environments, devices or locations.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for collecting presence information about a user from one or more presence sources associated with the user, such as applications, devices and locations. A presence agent is associated with each presence source; and the presence agents provide presence information to one or more presence servers. Typically, the presence agents execute on a processor associated with the corresponding presence source. The presence agent reports one or more of macropresence events and micropresence events. The presence agent optionally prompts the user to update the presence information based on one or more criteria, such as exceeding a time threshold since the last presence event. Continuous presence functions are generated for each presence source that characterize the likelihood of the user to be present on the corresponding presence source at a given time.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provide for developing a virtual assistant for at least one party of a communication. A developer provides one or more virtual assistant software modules that control an execution of the virtual assistant; and also provides a set of proxy methods that are called by the virtual assistant software modules to provide one or more desired functions. The developer may optionally be presented with a library containing one or more virtual assistant software modules or proxy methods. The developer can optionally revise the one or more virtual assistant software modules or proxy methods selected from the library, for example, based on a selection of one or more supported external applications.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for analyzing user activity and for recording such user activity in an entity relationship model. A network is searched for materials associated with a user and content analysis techniques are performed on the associated materials to extract one or more characteristics from the associated materials based on predefined criteria. The extracted information is stored in an entity relationship model that relates the user to the extracted characteristics. The characteristics may include activity information, expertise information and location information. The entity relationship model can thereafter be searched to identify and optionally contact one or more users having desired characteristics.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing a virtual assistant to at least one party of a communication. The virtual assistant is injected into the communication, for example, by a VXML engine. The operation of the virtual assistant is controlled by one or more software modules that are obtained from a proxy node. The software modules allow commands received from or destined for the party to be interpreted. The virtual assistant may optionally be customized based on a selection of the one or more supported external applications. The proxy node provides at least one method for the party that allows the party to access functionality provided by at least one external application. The proxy node interprets signals from the virtual assistant; converts the signals from the virtual assistant into commands for the external application; and converts one or more of commands, messages and data from the external application into signals understood by the virtual assistant.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for developing and processing workflows that include communication tasks. A workflow is generated according to the present invention by inserting at least one communication node in the workflow. The communication node associated is with a communication task having at least one property that is resolved at run time. For example, the media type, recipient list, or timing of a communication may be resolved at run-time. A workflow generation tool is provided that generates a workflow based on (i) a user selection of at least one communication node to insert in a workflow, and (ii) a user specification of one or more properties of the communication task, wherein at least one property of the communication task is resolved at run time. At run-time, a workflow engine parses at least communication node in a workflow associated with a communication task and having at least one property that is resolved at run time.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for establishing a conference based on the presence or preferences (or both) of one or more invitees. The presence of each invitee is evaluated on one or more devices. A media type is selected based on the presence information. User preference information may be evaluated for those invitees who are not currently present on a device. The selected media type for the conference may optionally be required to support the requirements of the conference, such as document sharing or video links. In this manner, the same communication application can trigger conferences of different media types (where the selected media type is most likely to lead to the successful establishment of the conference). In addition, the present invention allows a media type to be selected that will be more likely to lead to the successful establishment of a conference.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a user of a telecommunications terminal to specify desired characteristics for the recipient of a call in lieu of a contact identifier are disclosed. The illustrative embodiment enables a user to specify one or more of the following criteria for a recipient: (i) a role requirement that specifies a role (e.g., a nurse, a doctor, etc.); (ii) a capability requirement that specifies one or more capabilities (e.g., able to speak Spanish, etc.); (iii) a location requirement (e.g., on the third floor of Building A, etc.); and (iv) a cardinality descriptor for the number of recipients (e.g., one recipient, at least three recipients, etc.). The illustrative embodiment also employs availability data (e.g., a schedule, etc.) and rules to determine whether a particular person is available to receive a call.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting one of a plurality of delivery mechanisms for sending a message are disclosed. The illustrative embodiment enables the advantageous selection of the delivery mechanism for sending a message from a first telecommunications terminal to a second telecommunications terminal based on at least one of: (i) the location of the first terminal, (ii) the location of the second terminal, (iii) the time and date (i.e., the calendrical time) at the first terminal, (iv) the calendrical time at the second terminal, and (v) one or more properties of the message (e.g., the sending user, the receiving user, a message priority, the contents of the message, etc.). A delivery mechanism for sending a message comprises at least one of: a physical medium, a physical layer protocol, a medium access control, and a network for transport.