WO2006003073A1

WO2006003073A1 - Method and message system for generating an appointment element in a message system

Info

Publication number: WO2006003073A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/052695
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wolfgang Schiffer
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2004-07-05
Filing date: 2005-06-10
Publication date: 2006-01-12
Also published as: DE102004032500A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and message system for generating an appointment element (TE) in a message system, during which the appointment element (TE) is generated and appointment parameters (A1, abcdef, A2, A3, A4) are entered into parameter fields (TO2, TK2, TLN) of the appointment element (TE). In a first step, an electronic message (EN) having information fields (TO, TK, ABS, PR, CC) is opened by a user. In a second step, the generation of the appointment element (TE) is initiated by the user. In a third step, at least one of the information fields (TO, TK, ABS, PR, CC) of the electronic message (EN) is searched according to at least one message parameter (A1, abcdef, A2, HIGH, A3, A4), which can be used for at least one parameter field (TO2, TK2, TLN) of the appointment element (TE), and the at least one found message parameter (A1, abcdef, A2, HIGH, A3, A4) is temporarily stored. In a fourth step, the at least one temporarily stored message parameter (A1, abcdef, A2, A3, A4) is input into an associated parameter field (TO2, TK2, TLN) of the appointment element (TE).

Description

description

Method and message system for creating an appointment element in a message system

The invention relates to a method for creating an appointment element according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and a message system according to the preamble of patent claim 8.

For easy and fast communication between individual users or entire user groups, electronic communication means are frequently used, for example electronic messages ("e-mail").

The electronic messages are sent from a communication terminal of a sender - this is usually a computer or another device with computer-like properties, for example a mobile telephone - to a receiver, wherein the electronic message is received by a message system assigned to the receiver and is stored. In the case of e-mails, for example, this is an e-mail server or a so-called unified messaging system which manages electronic messages of various services (e-mail, fax, voice messages) by means of a common user interface.

In addition to the mere storage and management of electronic messages see such news systems offer other functions, with a well-known of these functions is the appointment management. The functionality of such a minute administration goes far beyond a normal "alarm function", in which an optical and / or acoustic signal is output at a fixed time. With a modern appointment management meetings can be planned with an almost unlimited number of participants, the personal schedules of the individual participants are coordinated with each other and the individual participants with the help e-lektronischer news on the planned meeting in¬ be formed. An event planned in this way is stored and managed within the message systems much like an electronic message, this taking the form of so-called term elements (also called the C & S element, "Calendaring and Scheduling"). Such an appointment element typically has several parameter fields (eg date, time, location of the event, subscriber, subject, etc.), which are each filled with the corresponding parameters (date parameters). If a newly created appointment element is then provided with the corresponding appointment parameters and is released, the subscribers ("receivers") defined in the parameter fields are informed about the event.

In order to operate the message systems, a user uses a user interface ("user interface"), whereby an application program for accessing electronic messages ("e-mail client") is frequently used on computers for this purpose. Likewise, access to the message system is often possible either additionally or alternatively via a so-called "web interface", whereby a data network (for example the Internet) can be accessed with the aid of any computer with a standardized display program ("web browser"). to access the functions of the message system. Many message systems can also be operated via a "telephone interface" from any telephone; This interface is also known as TUI ("Telephony User Interface"). In this case, the electronic messages, which are mostly in textual form, are read to the accessing user by means of a synthetically generated voice. If the message system is formed by a unified messaging system, it is of course also possible for the voice messages contained therein to be transmitted to the user via the TUI interface. In the case of the known message systems and their user interfaces, it has proven to be disadvantageous that when creating a termmember, a large number of lermin parameters must be inserted in the corresponding parameter fields of the termmember. Frequently, a new appointment element is created in response to an existing electronic message, for example an E-mail alert received. Then, with a graphical user interface, that is, for example, a corresponding e-mail client program, suitable content of the electronic message can be copied out and corresponding parameter fields of the term element copied into it ("copy and paste"). However, this process is all the more complicated, the more information fields of the electronic message or parameter fields of the appointment element have to be processed in this way. Especially when using user interfaces with limited operating possibilities, for example in mobile telephones with small display devices and small keyboards or in particular also in the TUI's, the copying of the contents of information fields and the subsequent insertion of the copied contents m are parameter fields only restricted or not at all possible, so that in these cases the creation of a new termmember and the filling of the parameter associated with this termmember are time-consuming and error-prone.

The object of the present invention is therefore to simplify the creation of appointment elements in message systems.

The object is achieved for the method by the features of patent claim 1 and for the message system by the features of claim 8.

The solution to the problem provides a method for creating a term element in a message system, wherein the appointment element is created and m parameter fields of the term minelements date parameters are entered. In a first step, an electronic message containing information fields is opened by a user, in a second step the creation of the appointment element is triggered by the user, in a third step at least one of the information sources of the electronic message is assigned at least one at least one parameter field of the terminal element is used to search usable message parameters and the at least one retrieved message parameter is temporarily stored, and in a fourth step the at least one buffered message parameter is entered as an appointment parameter in an assigned parameter field of the appointment element. By this method eliminates the manual and da¬ with time-consuming adoption of the message parameters for the corresponding parameter fields of the appointment element. So far as the original electronic message includes all the information required for the planned event (appointment element, C & S element), the appointment element can thus be completed by entering a single command or at least very few commands.

The object is further achieved by a message system for carrying out one of the methods according to the invention, wherein the message system is set up to receive electronic messages and to manage appointment items and with a user interface for displaying an electronic message and for creating and processing an appointment item equipped. In this case, the message system is designed to read out message parameters from the electronic message and to enter the read-out message parameters as appointment parameters into the appointment element. By means of such a message system, the parameters for an appointment element can be taken over from an electronic message in a simple manner, whereby the creation and completion of the appointment item is less complicated and erroneous information is prevented or at least reduced. The method is advantageously further developed by the features of the dependent patent claims 2 to 7, the features and advantages of which also apply mutatis mutandis to the inventive message system.

The method can be used particularly advantageously if the message system is operated by the user via a telephone-supported user interface ("TUI"), wherein in the first step the opened electronic message is transmitted to the user by a synthetically generated voice. The execution of operating steps, for example the entry of addresses, is particularly complicated by means of acoustic (telephone-supported) user interfaces, the reduction of the operating steps given by the method resulting in a particularly high time advantage and an increase in operating convenience. The operation of the telephone-supported user interface is particularly simple if in the second step, the creation of the appointment element is triggered by entering a command via a keystroke on a telephone terminal or by speaking a command in the telephone terminal.

Incorrectly created appointment items are recognized or corrected by the user checking and / or editing the appointment item in a fifth step. In this case, advantageously with the help of the method, in particular the automatically adopted date parameters presented to the user for control.

A large number of standard application cases are covered by the method if, in the third step, a recipient address, a sender address, a subject line and / or a priority indication of the electronic message are evaluated as message parameters and used as appointment parameter. Since this information is often present in the electronic messages in separate, predefined fields the adoption of these message parameters is particularly simple and reliable.

In electronic messages, important information is often stored in text form in the so-called text body of the electronic message. This unstructured information can be further processed automatically if the electronic message has a text body as the information field and in the third step the text body is searched for sequences of characters which represent location information, address information and / or time information, the search results being ascertained found strings are stored as message parameters zwischenge¬. These cached message parameters are then entered in the corresponding fields (parameter fields) of the appointment element. Many information can be extracted from the text body by means of keywords or special characters; for example, electronic addresses ("e-mail addresses") can be identified by the "@" symbol. Also times (date, time) or Internet addresses ("URL's") often have a charakteristi¬ cal format and thus can be easily automated interpret, extract and paste into the appropriate Parame¬ terfelder the date element.

A saving of operating steps, in particular when using function-limited user interfaces, results from the third and fourth steps being carried out automatically by the message system after the second step. Thus, if an electronic message is open (is displayed / read), so ideally the input of a single command is sufficient to create a new Terminele¬ ment and fill its parameter fields with Terminparame¬ tern, which come from the electronic message.

The message system can be operated advantageously via a telephone-supported user interface, with the message system preferably being used to transmit the opened electronic message Message is formed by a synthetically generated voice to a user, and has the user interface means for a guided through acoustic outputs user dialog, and wherein the user dialog is arranged to control the reading and the entry of the message parameters. The presentation of the opened electronic message via an "acoustic channel" makes such a message system operable from almost any location, as long as a telephone connection can be established. In this case, the inputs of the user are advantageously carried out either via keystrokes ("MFv selection") or via the pronunciation of predefined words ("key words").

The message system can be used particularly flexibly if it has an analysis device for evaluating at least one information field of the electronic message, wherein the analysis device is set up to search the at least one information field for character strings that represent location information, address information and / or time information, and that Message system for entering the auf¬ found strings as appointment parameters in the Terminele¬ element is formed.

Embodiments of the method according to the invention are explained below with reference to the drawing, which also serve to explain embodiments of inventive message systems.

The single FIGURE shows a schematic representation of an electronic message with a plurality of information fields from which message parameters are taken and entered as parameter parameters in parameter fields of an appointment element which is likewise shown schematically.

In the figure, an electronic message EN and a

Termin element TE shown schematically, the electronic message EN with information fields TO, TK, ABS, PR, CC and the appointment element with parameter fields TO2, TK2, TLN is equipped or linked. The information fields and parameter fields shown here represent an exemplary selection; Of course, the electronic message can also be linked or equipped with a different amount of information fields, just as the appointment element may have other than the parameter fields shown here. The electronic message and the appointment element are managed by a message system (not shown). Examples of such a message system is the "Exchange Server" from the company Microsoft or the software "Domino / Notes" from Lotus. The electronic message EN in this case is an e-mail message, while the appointment element TE is a calendar entry associated with a scheduled meeting ("C & S element", "task document").

In the electronic message EN, the information field TO contains, as message parameter, a recipient address A1, that is, in the present case, the e-mail address of the recipient of the message. The information field TK comprises the body of the e-mail message, with the message parameter abcdef representing the actual (text) message. The information field ABS contains as message parameters the e-mail address A2 of the sender of the electronic message. The message parameters A3, A4 in the information field CC ("Carbon Copy") are the addresses of other users who have received this electronic message EN in copy. The information field PR (priority) is an example of a frequently optional message parameter HIGH (= "high priority").

In the following, it is assumed that a user, namely the recipient of the electronic message EN, accesses the message system via a telephone-supported user interface (TUI), the present electronic message EN being transmitted by the message system by means of a synthetically generated voice ("Text -to-speech ") to the user. telt. The information fields TO, TK, ABS, PR, CC of the electronic message EN are output acoustically one after the other. After the output of the last information field - in this case, the information field TK is output with the text of the electronic message EN last - the message system goes into a so-called "idle mode" and waits for a command input of the user.

Of course, alternatively or additionally via another user interface, for example a computer screen with a keyboard and a computer mouse, the message system can be accessed.

The user enters at his communication terminal (telephone) the key combination "* 8", which in the present

Message system causes the generation of the new appointment element TE, the parameter fields TO2, TK2, TLN of the appointment TE elements are not yet filled with appointment parameters. As an alternative to entering a key combination, it is also possible to speak in a keyword. The acoustic signal originating from the user's communication terminal (voice data stream) is absorbed by the message system or its telephone-based user interface, both with regard to the keyboard input (eg tone selection signals "DTMF"), and with regard to natural-language inputs ¬ seeks what a voice analysis device is used.

An analysis device of the message system formed by an operating software now investigates the electronic message EN or the information fields associated with the electronic message EN with regard to message parameters that can be used as an appointment parameter and first of all analyzes the information field TO (recipient of the electronic message) Message EN), and enters the e-mail address Al found in the parameter field TO2 of the appointment element TE, whereby the appointment parameter A1 stored in the parameter TO2 stores the creator ("organizer") of the appointment key. The text message, that is to say the message parameter abcdef, is transferred unchanged from the information field TK into the parameter field TK2, so that the users affected by the event are informed about the context of the event. The message system is preprogrammed such that both the transmitter (information field ABS) and the co-informed user (information field CC) of the electronic message EN as subscriber (parameter field TLN) are assigned to the appointment element and thus the message parameters A2 , A3, A4 as date parameter. Optionally, the recipient of the electronic message EN (message parameters Al) can also be assigned to the parameter field TLN.

The parameter transfer is not limited to copying corresponding information, but may also include a processing of the information. Thus, for example, the natural name of the addressee can be determined and entered from an e-mail address by automatic access to an address file ("directory"), or vice versa. Furthermore, the message system is designed so that a distinction is made between "internal" and "external" persons, so that, depending on the preconfiguration, for example, only internal participants are invited to a meeting.

After the automatic parameter transfer has been completed, the message system prompts the user by means of synthesized speech output to enter the time information to be assigned to the appointment element via the keyboard of his terminal, ie date, start time, end time. After entering this Zeitanga¬ ben the appointment element TE is completed and will be sent to all e-mail addresses listed in the parameter field TLN.

Optionally, the messaging system can now also be used in the

Message system available schedules of the planned participants are accessed, with term clashes apparently and alternative times can be suggested to the user.

Alternatively, the input of the time information or else of other required parameters can also be carried out automatically in such a way that the message system stores the information field TK (body text) or the message parameters abcdef stored therein, ie the text of the e-mail message searched necessary information. After entering a corresponding command from the user, the text (message parameter abcdef) is searched for such character strings which formally correspond to the missing information (time, date, address information, etc.). After the creation of the terminating element TE, in particular after the character string analysis of the information field TK, the message system outputs the parameter fields of the appointment element TE through a synthetically generated speech output via the user's communication terminal, so that the user has the opportunity to confirm or correction of the date parameter is received. If the user is assigned a mobile phone number, the terminal parameters can also be communicated to the user in text form, for example as SMS. After release of the appointment element TE, the participants (parameter field TLN) of the event are informed about the event by the message system delivering a special electronic message, a so-called appointment message.

Claims

claims

1. Method for creating an appointment element (TE) in a message system, the appointment element (TE) being created and parameter parameters (TO2, TK2, TLN) of the appointment element (TE) Date parameters (A1, abcdef, A2, A3, A4) be registered, characterized in that

in a first step, an information field (TO, TK, ABS, PR, CC) containing electronic message (EN) is opened by a user,

in a second step the creation of the appointment element (TE) is triggered by the user,

in a third step, at least one of the information fields (TO, TK, ABS, PR, CC) of the electronic message

(EN) after at least one message parameter (A1, abcdef, A2, HIGH, A3, A4) usable for at least one parameter field (TO2, TK2, TLN) of the appointment element (TE) is searched and the at least one message parameter ( Al, abcdef, A2, HIGH, A3, A4) is cached, and

in a fourth step, the at least one temporarily stored message parameter (Al, abcdef, A2, HIGH, A3, A4) as an appointment parameter (A1, abcdef, A2, A3, A4) in an assigned parameter field (TO2, TK2, TLN) of the Terminele¬ mentes (TE) is registered.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the message system is operated by the user via a telephony-based user interface, wherein in the first step, the opened electronic message (EN) is transmitted to the user by a synthetically generated voice.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that in the second step, the creation of the appointment item (TE) is triggered by entering a command via a keystroke on a telephone terminal or by speaking a command in the telephone terminal.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in a fifth step, the appointment element (TE) by the Be¬ user controls and / or post-processed.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the third step as a message parameter (Al, abcdef, A2, HIGH, A3, A4) a recipient address, a sender address, a subject line, and / or a priority indication of e-lektronischen message (EN) and used as appointment parameters (Al, abcdef, A2, A3, A4).

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic message (EN) as an information field (TO, TK, ABS, PR, CC) comprises a text body (TK) and in the third step, the text body (TK) after Character strings are searched, which represent location information, address information and / or Zeitan¬ give, with the Zei¬ chenfolgen found in the search as message parameters (Al, abcdef, A2, HIGH, A3, A4) are cached.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the third and fourth step are performed automatically by the Nachrich¬ tensystem after the second step.

8. message system for performing one of the methods according to claim 1-7, wherein the message system for receiving electronic Nach¬ judge (EN) and for managing appointment elements (TE) is set up with a user interface for displaying a elektroni¬'s message ( EN) and for creating and processing an appointment element (TE), characterized in that the message system for reading message parameters (Al, abcdef, A2, HIGH, A3, A4) from an electronic message (EN) and for entering the read message parameter (Al, abcdef, A2, HIGH, A3, A4) as a date parameter (Al, abcdef, A2, A3, A4) in the appointment element (TE) is formed.

9. message system according to claim 8, characterized in that the message system is operated via a telephone-based user interface.

10. Message system according to claim 9, characterized in that the message system for transmitting the opened electronic message (EN) is formed by a synthetically generated voice to a user, and the user interface means for a led by acoustic Aus¬ editions user dialog, wherein the user dialog is set up for the control of the read-out and entry of the message parameters (Al, abcdef, A2, HIGH, A3, A4).

11. Message system according to one of the claims 8 - 10, characterized in that the message system has an analysis device for evaluating at least one information field (TO, TK, ABS, PR, CC) of the electronic message (EN), wherein the analy¬ seeinrichtung for Searching the at least one information field (TO, TK, ABS, PR, CC) for character strings which represent location information, address information and / or time information, and the message system for entering the found character sequences as appointment parameters (Al, abcdef, A2, A3, A4) is formed in the appointment element (TE).