JPH07117922B2 - Communication automatic setting method and data processing system therefor - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to data processing systems, and more particularly to automatic communication setup in data processing systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to automatic setup of communications in response to an acknowledgment of current usage of a workstation by a recipient of a data processing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Today, electronic communication is becoming more and more popular all over the world. For example, electronic mail, facsimile, video, or voice communication systems may be used to send messages or documents between subscribers that are geographically very far apart or only a few feet apart. it can. Users typically have access to each of these communication media via various terminals or workstations, but may not be on one of these communication media for extended periods during business hours. Callers who want to communicate with the recipient are generally
One must leave a message in some form and wait for the return communication, either audibly by voice telephone or electronically. As is often the case, the caller may be unavailable when the recipient answers, rounding the so-called "phone tag".

In addition to the problem of setting up communication, each time the user wants to set up communication with a recipient, the user must be involved in cost. The costs associated with using various media for these communications can be very different. For example, making a voice call during business hours will be more expensive than sending an electronic mail message.

There are many data processing systems that provide confirmation of forwarding capabilities that allow a sender to be notified when a recipient accesses a sent message. These systems allow the originator to know that the recipient has accessed the message, while
These systems do not have the ability to perform further actions based on this knowledge.

Therefore, it is clear that there is a need for a method and system that can establish communication with a recipient at the same time as an acknowledgment that the recipient is present.

[0006]

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and system for automatic communication setup in a data processing system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and system for acknowledging utilization by a recipient of a particular workstation within a data processing system upon receipt of a query.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and system for automatically setting up communications in response to an acknowledgment of workstation utilization by a recipient of a data processing system.

[0009]

The above object can be achieved as follows. A method and system for automatically configuring communication in a data processing system having multiple workstations is disclosed. The query is first transmitted to a particular workstation. An acknowledgment is transmitted when a query is received, depending on the recipient's use of the workstation. Furthermore, communication with the recipient is set up in response to the transmission of the acknowledgment.

The above as well as additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.

[0011]

1 is a pictorial representation of a data processing system 10 which may be utilized by the method and system of the present invention. As shown,
The data processing system 10 includes a plurality of workstations 1.
2, 13, 15 and 17. Workstations 12, 13, 15 and 17 are computers 14,
It has data storage devices 18 and 20, a printer 22, and a facsimile 24. Workstations 12, 13,
15 and 17 are connected together in a local area network 16. The data storage device 20 can also be utilized to store data representations of various multimedia presentations that can be accessed by the computer 14 using the disk drive 25. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that workstation 12 has multiple media types, such as telephone 26 and several fax machines 24, while other workstations 13 and 17 share one media type. right.

Referring to FIG. 2, a pictorial representation of the originator and recipient utilizing a workstation in accordance with the method and system of the present invention is shown. A caller using workstation 12 wants to set up communication with a recipient using workstation 28. The caller is
It is desired to set up communication when the person representing the recipient or his agent is at the workstation 28. In addition, the caller wants to set up communication with a more expensive media type, such as using the telephone 26 during business hours. In order to minimize costs, the caller utilizes the computer 14 so that the workstation 28 via electronic mail using the computers 14 and 30.
You can also send an inquiry to recipients of. If the recipient uses computer 30, confirmation of the forwarded message will be returned to the originator of workstation 12. When the originator of workstation 12 receives the confirmation of the transfer, the originator will assume that the recipient or an agent of the recipient is at workstation 28. The caller may also utilize the telephone 26 to call the recipient. In this way, the sender has determined that there is a receiver to call during business hours by using inexpensive media such as electronic mail.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing automatic setting of communication by the method and system of the present invention.
If the user wishes to set up communication as shown in block 40, a query is transmitted to the recipient's workstation. As shown in block 42, the query may have confirmation of the transfer and other types of presence responses. The presence response may include the use of a printer, a fax machine, or a telephone by the recipient or an agent of the recipient. The query may be a probe that is only sent to determine if the recipient is present, or a message with a content indicating its presence. The probe may appear in the list of mail received by the recipient or may not be visible so that the recipient does not recognize that the sender is sending the inquiry.

If the caller wants to set up communication, block 4
The user profile, as shown in FIG. 4, will be used to determine which medium is selected and to obtain the various parameters needed to utilize the selected medium. Directory 46 may also be utilized to obtain the required missing parameters if the parameters are not available from user profile 44. The directory 46 may also be used to determine if the sender and recipient have compatible media. If the user desires to edit the data in the user profile 44 or directory 46, the user further enters that data via a user request, as shown in block 48. User requests can also be utilized to override parameters currently stored in user profile 44 or directory 46.

Thus, one particular communication can be set up via the user request 48 by getting the required parameters, such as the telephone number, from the user profile 44, the directory 46, or the override. In accordance with obtaining all of the parameters required for communication, the selected media device is a facsimile as shown in block 52, a prerecorded message as shown in block 54, a telephone as shown in block 56, or a block. E-mail as shown in 58 (E
(Email), as shown in block 50.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a high level flowchart of a caller's request for automatic setup of communications by the method and system of the present invention. The process starts at block 60 and then at block 62.
Proceed to to determine whether the caller requested acknowledgment of receipt in response to receiving the inquiry. If it is determined that the caller does not request an acknowledgment in response to receiving the inquiry, the process proceeds to block 64 to set up communication with the recipient. The process then ends as indicated by block 66.

Returning again to block 62, if it is determined that the caller has requested acknowledgment of receipt in response to the transmission of the inquiry, the process proceeds to block 68 where the caller sets up communication in response to the acknowledgment. Make a decision whether you want to If it is determined that the caller does not want to set up the communication in response to the acknowledgment, the process proceeds to block 70 and adds an acknowledgment to the transmission of the inquiry. afterwards,
The process again proceeds to block 64. Returning to block 68 again, if it is determined that the caller wants to set up communication in response to the acknowledgment, the process proceeds to block 7
Proceeding to step 2, it is judged whether or not the presence of the caller is required during the transmission of the message once the communication is set. If it is determined that the caller's presence is not required, the process proceeds to block 74 and logs the desired medium for communication. The preferred medium for communication is electronic mail (E
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that it is a mail), fax, voice or video telephone.

Returning to block 72 again, if it is determined that the presence of the caller is required, the process proceeds to block 76.
Go to and log that the presence of the caller is required. The process again proceeds to block 74. Thereafter, the process proceeds to block 78 and determines if the desired media is present. If it is determined that the desired media is not present, the process proceeds to block 80 and reports an error. Thereafter, the process ends again at block 66. Returning to block 78 again, if it is determined that the desired media is present, the process proceeds to block 82 and logs an acknowledgment. Each acknowledgment is logged and has a unique identifier. In this way, the data processing system 10
Will transmit the message in response to receipt of the acknowledgment specified by its unique identifier. The process again proceeds to block 70.

Referring to FIG. 5, the process is block 9
Starting at 0, then proceed to block 92 where a determination is made whether an acknowledgment has been received. If it is determined that no acknowledgment has been received, the process again returns to block 9
Go to 2. If it is determined that an acknowledgment has been received, the process proceeds to block 94 and examines the log for the unique identifier associated with the received acknowledgment. afterwards,
The process proceeds to block 96 and determines if the caller wants to set up communication in response to the acknowledgment.
If it is determined that the caller does not want to set up the communication in response to the acknowledgment, the process ends as indicated at block 98. Returning again to block 96, if it is determined that the caller wants to set up the communication in response to the acknowledgment, the process proceeds to block 100 to determine if the desired media is available. Do.

If it is determined that the desired media is available, the process proceeds to block 102 where a determination is made whether the presence of the caller is required. Returning again to block 100, if it is determined that the desired media is not available, the process proceeds to block 106, which represents a determination of whether a wait period is required. Returning to block 102 again, if it is determined that the presence of the caller is not required, the process proceeds to block 104 to set up the communication.
Returning to block 102 again, if it is determined that the presence of the caller is required, the process proceeds to block 110,
A determination is made as to the presence or absence of the caller. If it is determined that the caller is present, the process again returns to block 104.
Go to and set up communication. Returning again to block 110, if it is determined that there is no caller, the process returns to block 106 to indicate whether a waiting period is required. If it is determined that the waiting period is required, the process proceeds to block 100 again. Returning again to block 106, if it is determined that the waiting period is not required,
The process proceeds to block 108 and reports the error. The process ends again as shown in block 98.

[0021]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, in a data processing system including a plurality of workstations, the sender receives an acknowledgment that the recipient exists and, at the same time, receives the acknowledgment from the recipient. Communication can be set. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of a data processing system that can be utilized to implement the method and system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial representation of originator and recipient utilization of a workstation in accordance with the method and system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating automatic communication setup by the method and system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a high level flow chart illustrating a request by a caller to automatically configure communication in accordance with the method and system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a high level flow chart illustrating receipt of an acknowledgment by the method and system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 data processing system 12 workstation 13 workstation 14 computer 15 workstation 17 workstation

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A method for automatically setting communication with a recipient using a specific one of the plurality of workstations in a data processing system having a plurality of workstations, the method comprising: Transmitting a query to a particular one of the workstations, the one of the plurality of workstations being responsive to the recipient utilizing the particular one of the workstations during the query. A method of automatically setting communication, comprising: transmitting an acknowledgment of a recipient using the specific one; and automatically setting communication with the recipient in response to receiving the acknowledgment. 2. The plurality of workstations are first
A transmitting workstation with a plurality of media types and a receiving workstation with a second plurality of media types, wherein a particular one of the first plurality of media types is in the second plurality. 2. The communication automatic setting method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of determining whether or not the medium type is included. 3. The communication automatic setting method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of associating a unique identifier with each acknowledgment. 4. A data processing system having a plurality of workstations and automatically setting communication with a recipient by using a specific one of the plurality of workstations. Means for transmitting an inquiry to a particular one of the plurality of stations, and wherein the recipient of the plurality of workstations is responsive to the recipient utilizing the particular one of the plurality of workstations during the inquiry. A data processing system comprising: means for transmitting an acknowledgment of a recipient using the specific one; and means for automatically setting communication with the recipient in response to receipt of the acknowledgment. 5. The plurality of workstations are first
A transmitting workstation with a plurality of media types and a receiving workstation with a second plurality of media types, wherein a particular one of the first plurality of media types is in the second plurality. 5. The data processing system of claim 4, further comprising means for determining whether the media type is included. 6. The data processing system of claim 4, further comprising means for associating a unique identifier with each acknowledgment. 7. A method for automatically setting up communication with a recipient in a data processing system having a plurality of workstations using a specific one of the plurality of workstations, the method comprising: Transmitting a query to a particular one of the workstations, the plurality of workstations being responsive to a recipient utilizing the particular one of the workstations during the query. Transmitting an acknowledgment of the recipient using the specific one of the steps, automatically setting communication with the recipient in response to receiving the acknowledgment, and the recipient depending on the setting of the communication. And a method for automatically setting communication, the method comprising automatically sending a message to the user. 8. The plurality of workstations are first
A transmitting workstation with a plurality of media types and a receiving workstation with a second plurality of media types, wherein a particular one of the first plurality of media types is in the second plurality. 8. The automatic communication setting method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of determining whether or not the medium is included in the medium type. 9. The communication automatic setting method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of associating a unique identifier with each acknowledgment.