Integrating multiple communication modes

Abstract

A system that includes a computer device and a user interface. The user interface is configured to enable a user to interact with a person using one of at least two of voice conversation, voice-video conversation, graphic text-based conversation, fax, and electronic mail. The interactions can include the following. Creating a rule to cause the computer device to automatically perform an action based on a request to converse with the user. Viewing an automatically generated listing of a set of persons, the listing comprising a name, presence information, and communication modes available for the user to communicate with the person from the set of persons. Selecting the person from the set of persons. Selecting a communication mode from the communication modes available to communicate with the person, and retrieving information about a person using an identifying characteristic of the person, where the identifying characteristic is selected by the user from a display. Communicating with the person.

1 . A method comprising: 
 receiving from a first person a request to converse with a second person using any one of two or more selectable communication modes; and    in response to the received request, automatically performing an action determined by a rule created by the second person.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the rule is created by the second person using a user interface on a computing device.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting the rule from a set of one or more rules based on a condition statement of the rule.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting the rule based on the one of two or more communication modes.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting the rule based on an identity of the first person.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting the rule based on a current status of the second person.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining an electronic document associated with the first person and retrieving the electronic document if the second person indicates a desire to view the document.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising displaying the electronic document to the second person.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising retrieving the electronic document from an e-mail storage module, wherein the electronic document is an e-mail message.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising retrieving a calendar of the second person from a calendar storage module, wherein the electronic document is the calendar.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein automatically performing the action further comprises enabling the first person to leave a message if the current status of the second person is that the second person is unavailable to converse.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein automatically performing the action further comprises forwarding the request to converse to a third person if a current status of the second person is that the second person is unavailable to converse and the third person is available to converse.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one of two or more communication modes comprises a voice conversation communication mode.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the voice conversation communication mode comprises Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one of two or more communication modes comprises a voice/video conversation communication mode.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one of two or more communication modes comprises a graphic text-based conversation communications mode.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the graphic text-based conversation communication mode comprises Instant Messaging.  
   
   
       18 . A system comprising: 
 a computing device comprising:    a transceiver configured to receive a request to converse with a user of the computing device; and    an integration module configured to interact with at least two of voice conversation software, voice-video conversation software, graphic text-based conversation software, fax software, and electronic mail software, and to automatically perform an action determined by a rule created by the user based on the received request.    
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the integration module comprises a microphone and a speaker.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the integration module comprises a user interface hook to detect when the user is interacting with the computing device.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the integration module comprises a user interface that enables the user to specify the action.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising a network.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22  further comprising a second computing device configured to send the request to converse.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 22  further comprising a telephone configured to send the request to converse.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the network comprises a switched local area network.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive a request to converse via the switched local area network.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the switched local area network is configured to connect the computing device to an internet.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the switched local area network is configured to connect the computing device to an intranet.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the switched local area network is configured to connect to an internet protocol/public switched telephone network gateway.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the network further comprises a second switched local area network.  
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the second computing device sends the request to converse via the second switched local area network.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the network further comprises a telephone system and a public switched telephone network configured to enable the telephone to send the request to converse to the computing device.  
   
   
       33 . An article comprising a machine-readable medium that stores executable instruction signals that cause a machine to: 
 receive, from a first person, a request to converse with a second person using any one of two or more selectable communication modes; and    in response to the request, automatically perform an action determined by a rule created by the first user.    
   
   
       34 - 88 . (canceled)  
   
   
       89 . A system comprising: 
 a computer device;    a user interface that is configured to enable a user to interact with a person using one of at least two of voice conversation, voice-video conversation, graphic text-based conversation, fax, and electronic mail; wherein the interaction comprises:    creating a rule to cause the computer device to automatically perform an action based on a request to converse with the user;    viewing an automatically generated listing of a set of persons, the listing comprising a name, presence information, and communication modes available for the user to communicate with the person from the set of persons;    selecting the person from the set of persons;    selecting a communication mode from the communication modes available to communicate with the person;    retrieving information about a person using an identifying characteristic of the person, where the identifying characteristic is selected by the user from a display; and    communicating with the person.