Techniques for managing and applying an availability profile

Abstract

Techniques for managing and applying an availability profile are described. An apparatus may comprise a profile management component operative to store a profile for a user having a condition for activation, a user agent component operative to determine whether the condition is satisfied, a user location component operative to determine a location of the user, and a communication component operative to apply the profile to communication for the user if the condition is satisfied. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a server having a logic device and an availability system operative on the logic device, the availability system comprising:
 a profile management component operative to store an availability profile for a user having a condition for activation or deactivation comprising a time of day, the availability profile comprising one or more settings to manage availability of the user for communications via one or more communication modalities; 
 a user agent component operative to determine whether the condition for activation or deactivation is satisfied; and 
 a communication component operative to apply the availability profile to a communication for the user when the condition is satisfied. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the availability profile comprising one or more settings to manage availability of the user for communications via at least two communication modalities while the availability profile is activated. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the profile management component further operative to allow modification of the availability profile via a web application. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the communication component is operative to activate or deactivate the activity profile without attempting to initiate communications between the server and a user device controlled by the user. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a user location component operative to determine a location of the user, the user agent component operative to compare the determined location to the specified location. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the communication component operative to set an instant message presence status for the user when the condition for activation or deactivation is satisfied. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the communication component operative to set call forwarding for a phone line for the user when the condition for activation or deactivation is satisfied. 
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 receiving an availability profile for a user having a condition for activation or deactivation comprising a time of day, the availability profile comprising one or more settings to manage availability of the user for communications via one or more communication modalities;   determining whether the condition for activation or deactivation is satisfied; and   applying the availability profile to a communication for the user when the condition for activation or deactivation is satisfied.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , the availability profile comprising one or more settings to manage availability of the user for communications via at least two communication modalities while the availability profile is activated. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising receiving the availability profile for the user having a condition for activation or deactivation comprising a time and date. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising receiving the availability profile for the user having a condition for activation or deactivation comprising a specified geographic location. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 determining a geographic location of the user:   comparing the determined location to a specified geographic location; and   the availability profile to the communication for the user when the geographic location of the user matches the specified geographic location.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising setting an instant message presence status when applying the availability profile. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising setting call forwarding for a phone line for the user when applying the availability profile. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 determining whether the condition for deactivation is satisfied; and   deactivating the availability profile when the condition for deactivation is satisfied.   
     
     
         16 . An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium containing instructions that when executed enable a system to:
 receive an availability profile having conditions for activation and deactivation of which a condition comprises a time of day, the availability profile comprising one or more settings to manage availability of the user for communications via one or more communication modalities;   determine whether the condition is satisfied; and   activate or deactivate the availability profile for communications when the condition is satisfied.   
     
     
         17 . The article of manufacture of  claim 16 , comprising modifying the availability profile via a web application. 
     
     
         18 . The article of manufacture of  claim 16 , comprising activating or deactivating the activity profile without attempting to initiate communications between a server and a user device controlled by the user. 
     
     
         19 . The article of manufacture of  claim 16 , the conditions for activation and deactivation comprising a control directive from a user interface. 
     
     
         20 . The article of manufacture of  claim 16 , comprising setting a parameter for a communication application when applying the availability profile.