Methods and systems for a communications and information resource manager

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for managing the communications and information resources of a user. Identity information relating to the user is received. The user's preference for withholding an incoming communication is obtained. An entry is created in a message log for the withheld communication. The user is not notified of receipt of the withheld communication, yet receipt of the withheld communication is logged in the message log.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing a user interface for managing a plurality of communication services comprising a first communication service and a second communication service;   receiving, by way of the user interface, a request to set a first preference associated with the first communication service;   receiving, by way of the user interface, a request to set a second preference associated with the second communication service;   managing, using at least one processor, communications associated with the first communication service in accordance with the first preference; and   managing, using the at least one processor, communications associated with the second communication service in accordance with the second preference.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication service provides a first type of communication and the second communication service provides a second type of communication. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first type of communication is telephone and the second type of communication is email. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication service and the second communication service are provided by different service providers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending, to a first remote communication manager corresponding to the first communication service, preference information related to the first preference based on the request to set the first preference. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising updating, using the at least one processor, preference information related to the second preference based on the request to set the second preference. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first remote communication manager, a first communication in accordance with the first preference; and   providing the first communication to a user.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving a second communication from the second communication service;   accessing the preference information related to the second preference; and   providing, to the user, the second communication in accordance with the accessed preference information related to the second preference.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a first communication associated with the first communication service; and   sending, without user intervention and in accordance with the first preference, a response to the first communication via the first communication service.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving a second communication associated with the second communication service; and   sending, without user intervention and in accordance with the second preference, a response to the second communication via the first communication service.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 identifying a sender user of the of the second communication associated with the second communication service;   determining, based on the identified sender user, identification information of the sender user within the first communication service; and   wherein sending the response to the second communication via the first communication service comprises sending the response in accordance with the identification information of the sender user within the first communication service.   
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 providing, to a user by way of a user interface, a summary of communication activities including one or more lists of communication events, wherein each of the communication events is associated with a specific communication platform from among a plurality of communication platforms;   detecting, using at least one processor, a selection by the user of a specific communication event from the one or more lists of communication events; and   in response to the selection of the specific communication event, providing, by way of the user interface, one or more available actions associated with the selected communication event.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein providing, to the user by way of the user interface, the summary of communication activities comprises providing a recently received communication list corresponding to the most recent communication events received from the plurality of communication platforms, and wherein the communication events within the recently received communication list are provided in chronological order related to the time at which each of the communication events was received. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising providing a communication platform indicator for each of the communication events included within the recently received communication list, the communication platform indicator visually indicating from which of the plurality of communication platforms each of the communication events was received. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein providing the summary of communication activities further comprises providing a total number of new communications corresponding to each of the plurality of communication platforms. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 detecting a selection by the user of a specific communication platform; and   in response to the selection of the specific communication platform, providing a listing of communications from only the selected communication platform.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more available actions associated with the selected communication event comprises an action to respond to the selected communication event using a communication platform from which the selected communication event was received. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more available actions associated with the selected communication event further comprises an action to respond to the selected communication event using a different communication platform that the communication platform from which the selected communication event was received. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 detecting, using the at least one processor, a selection of the action to respond to the selected communication event using the different communication platform; and   generating, in response to the selection of the action to respond, a response communication corresponding to the different communication platform.   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:   provide a user interface for managing a plurality of communication services comprising a first communication service and a second communication service;   receive, by way of the user interface, a request to set a first preference associated with the first communication service;   receive a request to set a second preference associated with the second communication service;   manage communications associated with the first communication service in accordance with the first preference; and   manage communications associated with the second communication service in accordance with the second preference.