# US 12,603,853 B2 · Email management engine in an electronic mail system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,603,853 B2 - Document ID: US12603853B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/426,731 - Filed: 2024-01-30 - Published: 2025-07-31 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2024-01-30 - Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Mrinal Kumar Sharma - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603853B2 ## CPC - H04L 51/02: using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages - G06F 40/40: Processing or translation of natural language (natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30) - G06N 20/00: Machine learning - G06Q 10/107: Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing] - G06Q 10/109: Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting - G06Q 10/1093: Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups - G06Q 10/1097: {using calendar-based scheduling for task assignment} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Methods, systems, and computer storage media for providing context-aware out-of-office (OOO) assistance using an email management engine. Context-aware OOO assistance supports email management operations that provide OOO functionality with artificial intelligence and context-awareness for email management during periods of unavailability. In operation, an email message is accessed. An email message category is determined for the email message. The email message category can be a scheduling meeting category, a requesting information category, or a task delegation category. Based on the email message category, a plurality of OOO operations associated with the email message category are executed. Based on executing the plurality of OOO operations associated with the email message category, a response for the email message is generated. The response is associated with one of the following: scheduling meeting data, requesting information data, or task delegation data. The response is communicated to cause display of the response on an email interface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computerized system comprising: one or more computer processors; and computer memory storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations, the operations comprising: an email management engine configured for: accessing an email message; an categorization engine configured for determining one or more email message categories for the email message, wherein the one or more email message categories are any of: a scheduling meeting category, a requesting information category, or a task delegation category; the email management engine configured for, based on the one or more email message categories, executing a plurality of out-of-office (OOO) operations associated with the one or more email message categories, wherein a first set of operations of the plurality of OOO operations are scheduling meeting operations, wherein a second set of operations of the plurality of OOO operations are requesting information operations, and wherein a third set of operations of the plurality of OOO operations are task delegation operations, wherein the email management engine supports a plurality of categorized email management workflows, wherein a categorized email management workflow comprises a structured, category-specific set of 000 operations that are executed based on a selected email message and a corresponding determined category of the selected email message; a context-aware dynamic response engine configured for, based on executing one or more of the first set of operations, the second set of operations, or the third set of operations, generating one or more responses for the email message, wherein the one or more responses are associated with any of: scheduling meeting data, requesting information data, or task delegation data; and the email management engine configured for, communicating the one or more responses to cause display of the response on an email interface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the email management engine operates based on an email management workflow that includes each of: a scheduling workflow, an information request workflow, and a task assignment workflow. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the scheduling meeting workflow provides real-time availability information and suggests alternative contacts, the information request workflow provides requested data and makes requested data available to users associated with the email management engine, and the task assignment workflow supports delegating tasks to users associated with the email management engine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the email management engine supports performing Natural Language Processing (NLP) and context understanding operations on email messages associated with the email management engine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the categorization engine employs a machine learning model to support executing intention recognition operations to identify email message categories for email messages associated with the email management engine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the plurality of OOO operations include: the scheduling meeting operations comprising determining real-time availability information for an OOO user; and identifying alternative contacts for the OOO user; the requesting information operations comprising providing requested information associated with an email message; and storing and linking relevant resources to email messages; and the task delegation operations comprising identifying tasks and identifying potential delegates for performing the task; and generating a follow-up alert for an OOO recipient user who has elected to defer performing tasks while OOO. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduling meeting data comprises a suggestion of availability slots and a calendar link to schedule a meeting, the requesting information data comprises links to requested resources, and the task delegation data comprises an alternative contact associated with performing a task identified in an email message. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the context-aware dynamic response engine generates a first response for the scheduling meeting category, a second response for the requesting information category, or a third response for the task delegation category. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an adaptive learning and user feedback engine that updates one or more machine learning models based on context-aware OOO assistance feedback data, wherein one or more subsequent responses are generated based on the one or more updated machine learning models. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an email client configured for: communicating the email message; based on communicating the email message, receiving a response associated with the email message; and causing display of the response on an email interface. ### Claim 11 One or more computer-storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a computing system having a processor and memory, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising: communicating, to an email management engine, an email message associated with an email message category, wherein the email message category is one of: a scheduling meeting category, a requesting information category, or a task delegation category, wherein the email management engine supports a plurality of categorized email management workflows, wherein a categorized email management workflow comprises a structured, category-specific set of OOO operations that are executed based on a selected email message and a corresponding determined category of the selected email message; based on communicating the email message, receiving a response associated with the email message, wherein the response is generated based on executing a plurality of out-of-office (OOO) operations associated with the email message category, the response is associated with one of: scheduling meeting data, requesting information data, or task delegation data; and causing display of the response on an email interface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The media of claim 11, wherein the scheduling meeting data comprises a suggestion of availability slots and a calendar link to schedule a meeting. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The media of claim 12, wherein the requesting information data comprises links to requested resources. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The media of claim 11, wherein the task delegation data comprises an alternative contact associated with performing a task identified in an email message. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The media of claim 11, the operations further comprising: accessing the email message; determining the email message category for the email message; based on the email message category, executing the plurality of out-of-office (OOO) operations associated with the email message category; based on executing the plurality of OOO operations associated with the email message category, generating the response for the email message; and communicating the response to cause display of the response on the email interface. ### Claim 16 A computer-implemented method, the method comprising: accessing an email message at an email management engine, wherein the email management engine supports a plurality of categorized email management workflows, wherein a categorized email management workflow comprises a structured, category-specific set of OOO operations that are executed based on a selected email message and a corresponding determined category of the selected email message; determining an email message category for the email message, wherein the email message category is one of: a scheduling meeting category, a requesting information category, or a task delegation category; based on the email message category, executing a plurality of out-of-office (OOO) operations associated with the email message category; based on executing the plurality of OOO operations associated with the email message category, generating a response for the email message, wherein the response is associated with one of: scheduling meeting data, requesting information data, or task delegation data; and communicating the response to cause display of the response on an email interface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the email message is associated with an email management engine that operates based on an email management workflow that includes each of: a scheduling workflow, an information request workflow, and a task assignment workflow. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein a scheduling meeting workflow provides real-time availability information and suggests alternative contacts, an information request workflow provides requested data and makes requested data available to users associated with the email management engine, and wherein a task assignment workflow support delegating tasks to users associated with the email management engine. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the scheduling meeting data comprises a suggestion of availability slots and a calendar link to schedule a meeting, the requesting information data comprises links to requested resources, and the task delegation data comprises an alternative contact associated with performing a task identified in an email message. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, the method further comprising: based on context-ware OOO assistance feedback data, updating one or more machine learning models associated with the plurality of OOO operations; and generating a subsequent response for a subsequent email message using the one or the one or more updated machine learning models.