Designs, interfaces, and policies for systems that enhance communication and minimize disruption by encoding preferences and situations

摘要

The present invention relates to utilizing identity and context-sensitive decision-making for handling communications, including, channel selection, routing, and rescheduling operations. The systems and methods provide a service that allows users to assess preferences regarding real-time call handling and performs dynamic decision-making about the best timing and channel for interpersonal communication. This service can be based on various cost-benefit analyses (e.g., basic and extended) that consider cost of interruption and preferences of contactors and contactees to guide communications, and/or on decision-making under uncertainty. Statistical models that are learned from data are joined with user preferences to generate expected costs of interruption for office activity and over time, based on a user's activities, locations, calendar information and preference assessments. In addition, statistical forecasting provides presence and availability predictions. The foregoing can provide an enhanced interpersonal communication system that can maximize the value and minimize the cost of communication among people.