Techniques for task management using presence

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for scheduling a task to be performed by a participant, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving, from a database, task data for a plurality of tasks to be performed by a plurality of participants, wherein receiving the task data comprises receiving required media data and task interruptibility data from the database for each task of the plurality of tasks, the required media data indicates a required set of one or more communications media of a plurality of communications media is required to perform a respective one of the tasks, and the task interruptibility data indicates whether the respective one of the tasks can be interrupted through a particular communications medium of the plurality of communications media, wherein the task data includes a task description field for each respective one of the tasks, and the respective task description field describes each respective one of the tasks;
• receiving quorum data from the database that indicates a participant set of one or more participants of the plurality of participants to participate in each task of the plurality of tasks;
• and
• determining a particular time interval to schedule both a first task and a second task based on the required media data, and the quorum data, and whether the task interruptibility data indicates that the first task can be interrupted to schedule the second task.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for determining a task to be performed by a participant, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving task data from a database that indicates a plurality of tasks to be performed by a particular participant, the task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a corresponding one of the tasks;
• receiving input data from the database that describes a current user state of the particular participant, the current user state of the particular participant comprising personal interruptibility data and a current task of the plurality of tasks, the current task being one of the tasks performed currently by the particular participant, the personal interruptibility data indicating whether the particular participant is interruptible during performance of the current task, and the current task being associated with the personal interruptibility data in the database;
• and
• sending to a task manager process a message that includes current user data comprising the current user state and the personal interruptibility data, wherein the task manager process determines, based on the current user data, a particular time interval to schedule, from among the plurality of tasks, a different task than the current task.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for rescheduling a task to be performed by a participant, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving scheduled task data over a network that indicates a plurality of tasks scheduled to be performed by a particular participant, the scheduled task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a corresponding one of the tasks;
• receiving participant availability data over the network that indicates when a participant in a participant set of one or more participants required to perform a first task of the plurality of tasks is available, the participant availability data comprising a current task of the plurality of tasks, the current task being currently performed by the participant, the current task being different than the first task, and the participant availability data further comprising personal interruptibility data comprising an indication of whether the participant is interruptible during performance of the current task, the personal interruptibility data being associated in the database with the current task;
• determining whether all participants in the participant set are available to re-schedule the first task for a different time interval based on the personal interruptibility data;
• and
• if it is determined that all participants in the participant set are available for the different time interval, then
• associating with the first task rescheduled data that indicates the first task is rescheduled for removal,
• adding to the scheduled task data a second task for the different time interval, and
• associating with the second task pending data that indicates the second task is rescheduled for insertion.

An apparatus for determining a task to be performed by a participant, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory comprising executable instructions, the executable instructions executable with the processor to:
• receive task data from a database that indicates a plurality of tasks to be performed by a plurality of participants, the task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a corresponding one of the tasks;
• receive quorum data from the database that indicates a particular participant set of one or more participants of the plurality of participants to participate in a particular task of the plurality of tasks;
• receive personal interruptibility data from the database, the personal interruptibility data indicating, for a participant among the particular participant set, a particular communications medium through which the participant is interruptible while the participant performs a current task set that excludes the particular task, the current task set including the tasks that the participant is currently performing, wherein the personal interruptibility data is associated in the database with the current task set;
• and
• determine a particular time interval to perform the particular task based at least in part on the personal interruptibility data.

An apparatus for scheduling a task to be performed by a participant, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory comprising executable instructions, the executable instructions executable with the processor to:
• receive task data over a network for a plurality of tasks to be performed by a plurality of participants, wherein receiving the task data comprises receiving required media data and task interruptibility data from the database for each task of the plurality of tasks, the required media data indicates a required set of one or more communications media of a plurality of communications media is required to perform a respective one of the tasks, and the task interruptibility data indicates whether the respective one of the tasks can be interrupted through a particular communications medium of the plurality of communications media, the task data includes a task description field for each respective one of the tasks, and the respective task description field describes each respective one of the tasks;
• receive quorum data over the network that indicates a participant set of one or more participants of the plurality of participants to participate in each task of the plurality of tasks;
• and
• determine a particular time interval to schedule both a first task and a second task based on the required media data, the quorum data, and whether the task interruptibility data indicates that the first task can be interrupted to schedule the second task.

An apparatus for determining a task to be performed by a participant, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory comprising executable instructions, the executable instructions executable with the processor to:
• receive task data from a database that indicates a plurality of tasks to be performed by a particular participant, the task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a corresponding one of the tasks;
• receive input data from an input device that describes a current user state of the particular participant, the input data including a current task of the plurality of tasks that is being performed currently by the particular participant, and the input data further including an indication of whether the particular participant is interruptible while the particular participant performs the current task;
• and
• send to a task manager process a message that includes current user data based on the input data, wherein the task manager process determines, based on the indication of whether the particular participant is interruptible while the particular participant performs the current task, a particular time interval to schedule, from among the plurality of tasks, a different task than the current task.

An apparatus for re-scheduling a task to be performed by a participant, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory comprising executable instructions, the executable instructions executable with the processor to:
• receive scheduled task data from a database that indicates a plurality of tasks scheduled to be performed by a particular participant, the scheduled task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a corresponding one of the tasks;
• receive participant availability data from an input device that indicates when a participant in a participant set of one or more participants required to perform a first task of the plurality of tasks is available and that identifies a current task of the plurality of tasks that is being performed currently by the participant, the current task being different than the first task, and participant availability data further including an indication of whether the participant is interruptible while performing the current task, the personal interruptibility data being associated in the database with the scheduled task data for the current task;
• determine whether all participants in the participant set are available to re-schedule the first task for a different time interval based on the personal interruptibility data;
• and
• associate with the first task rescheduled data that indicates the first task is rescheduled for removal, add to the scheduled task data a second task for the different time interval, and associate with the second task pending data that indicates the second task is rescheduled for insertion, if it is determined that all participants in the participant set are available for the different time interval.

An apparatus for determining a task to be performed by a participant, comprising:

• a network interface that is coupled to a network for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;
• one or more processors;
• a computer-readable medium;
• and
• one or more stored sequences of instructions stored on the computer-readable medium, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
• receiving task data from a database that indicates a plurality of tasks to be performed by a plurality of participants, the task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a corresponding one of the tasks;
• receiving quorum data from the database that indicates a particular participant set of one or more participants of the plurality of participants to participate in a particular task of the plurality of tasks;
• receiving through the network interface personal interruptibility data that indicates, for a participant among the particular participant set, a particular communications medium through which the participant is interruptible while the participant performs a current task set that excludes the particular task, the current task set including the tasks that the participant is currently performing and for which the task data is received from the database, wherein the personal interruptibility data is associated in the database with the current task set;
• and
• determining a particular time interval to perform the particular task based at least in part on the personal interruptibility data.

An apparatus for scheduling a task to be performed by a participant, comprising:

• a network interface that is coupled to a network for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;
• one or more processors;
• a computer-readable medium;
• and
• one or more stored sequences of instructions stored on the computer-readable medium, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
• receiving task data from a database for a plurality of tasks to be performed by a plurality of participants, wherein receiving the task data comprises receiving required media data and task interruptibility data from the database for each task of the plurality of tasks, the required media data indicates a required set of one or more communications media of a plurality of communications media is required to perform a respective one of the tasks, and the task interruptibility data indicates whether the respective one of the tasks can be interrupted through a particular communications medium of the plurality of communications media, wherein the task data includes a task description field for each respective one of the tasks, and the respective task description field describes each respective one of the tasks;
• and
• determining a particular time interval to schedule both a first task and a second task based on the required media data, and whether the task interruptibility data indicates that the first task can be interrupted to schedule the second task.

An apparatus for determining a task to be performed by a participant, comprising:

• a network interface that is coupled to a network for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;
• one or more processors;
• a computer-readable medium;
• and
• one or more stored sequences of instructions stored on the computer-readable medium, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
• receiving through the network interface task data that indicates a plurality of tasks to be performed by a particular participant, the task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a corresponding one of the tasks;
• receiving input data from an input device that indicates a current user state of the particular participant, the input data including a current task of the plurality of tasks that is being performed currently by the particular participant, and the input data further including an indication of whether the current task is interruptible while the particular participant performs the current task;
• and
• sending to a task manager process through the network interface a message that includes current user data based on the input data, wherein the task manager process determines, based on the indication of whether the particular participant is interruptible while the particular participant performs the current task, a particular time interval to schedule˜from among the plurality of tasks, a different task than the current task.

An apparatus for re-scheduling a task to be performed by a participant, comprising:

• a network interface that is coupled to a network for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;
• one or more processors;
• a computer-readable medium;
• and
• one or more stored sequences of instructions stored on the computer-readable medium, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
• receiving scheduled task data from a database that indicates a plurality of tasks scheduled to be performed by a particular participant, the scheduled task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a corresponding one of the tasks;
• receiving through the network interface participant availability data that indicates when a participant in a participant set of one or more participants required to perform a first task of the plurality of tasks is available, wherein the participant availability data includes a current task currently performed by the participant and whether the current task is interruptible, the current task being one of the plurality of tasks different from the first task;
• determining whether all participants in the participant set are available to re-schedule the first task for a different time interval based on whether the current task is interruptible;
• and
• if it is determined that all participants in the participant set are available for the different time interval, then
• associating with the first task rescheduled data that indicates the first task is rescheduled for removal,
• adding to the scheduled task data a second task for the different time interval, and
• associating with the second task pending data that indicates the second task is rescheduled for insertion.

A method for determining a task to be performed by a participant, comprising the steps of:

• receiving task data from a database that indicates a plurality of tasks to be performed by a plurality of participants, the task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a corresponding one of the tasks;
• receiving quorum data from the database that indicates a particular participant set of one or more participants of the plurality of participants to participate in a particular task of the plurality of tasks;
• receiving personal interruptibility data from the database that indicates, for a participant among the particular participant set, a particular communications medium through which the participant is interruptible while the participant performs a current task set that excludes the particular task, the current task set including the tasks that the participant is currently performing and for which the task data is received from the database, wherein the personal interruptibility data is associated in the database with the current task set;
• and
• determining a particular time interval to perform the particular task based at least in part on the personal interruptibility data.

A method for scheduling a task to be performed by a participant, comprising the steps of:

• receiving task data for a plurality of tasks to be performed by a plurality of participants from a database, wherein receiving the task data comprises receiving required media data and task interruptibility data from the database for each task of the plurality of tasks, the required media data indicates a required set of one or more communications media of a plurality of communications media is required to perform a respective one of the tasks, and the task interruptibility data indicates whether the respective one of the tasks can be interrupted through a particular communications medium of the plurality of communications media while the task is being performed, and wherein the task data includes a task description field for each respective one of the tasks, and the respective task description field describes each respective one of the tasks;
• receiving quorum data through a network interface that indicates a participant set of one or more participants of the plurality of participants to participate in each task of the plurality of tasks;
• and
• determining a particular time interval to schedule both a first task and a second task based on the required media data, the quorum data, and whether the task interruptibility data indicates that the first task can be interrupted to schedule the second task.

A method for determining a task to be performed by a participant, comprising the steps of:

• receiving task data from a database that indicates a plurality of tasks to be performed by a particular participant, the task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a respective one of the tasks;
• receiving input data via a network interface that describes a current user state of the particular participant, the current user state comprising a current task of the plurality of tasks that is performed currently by the particular participant, and an indication of whether the current task is interruptible while the particular participant performs the current task, the current task being associated in the database with the indication of whether the current task is interruptible;
• and
• sending to a task manager process a message that includes current user data comprising the current task and the indication of whether the current task is interruptible, wherein the task manager process determines, based on the current user data, a particular time interval to schedule from among the plurality of tasks a different one of the tasks than the current task.

A method for re-scheduling a task to be performed by a participant, comprising the steps of:

• receiving scheduled task data from a database that indicates a plurality of tasks scheduled to be performed by a particular participant, the scheduled task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a respective one of the tasks;
• receiving participant availability data via a network interface that indicates when a participant in a participant set of one or more participants required to perform a first task of the plurality of tasks is available, the participant availability data identifying a current task that is currently performed by the participant, the current task being a different one of the tasks than the first task, and the participant availability data further including an indication of whether the current task is interruptible while the current task is performed by the participant, the current task being associated in the database with the indication of whether the current task is interruptible;
• determining whether all participants in the participant set are available to re-schedule the first task for a different time interval based at least in part on the indication of whether the current task is interruptible;
• and
• if it is determined that all participants in the participant set are available for the different time interval, then
• associating with the first task rescheduled data that indicates the first task is rescheduled for removal,
• adding to the scheduled task data a second task for the different time interval, and
• associating with the second task pending data that indicates the second task is rescheduled for insertion.

A system for determining a task to be performed by a participant, comprising:

• a participant monitor comprising
• a first network interface that is coupled to a network for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;
• a first processor set of one or more processors;
• a first computer-readable medium;
• and
• a first instruction set of one or more stored sequences of instructions stored on the computer-readable medium;
• and
• a dynamic task manager comprising
• a second network interface that is coupled to a network for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;
• a second processor set of one or more processors;
• a second computer-readable medium;
• and
• a second instruction set of one or more stored sequences of instructions stored on the computer-readable medium,
• wherein;
• execution of the first instruction set by the first processor set, causes the first processor set to carry out the steps of
• receiving task data over the first network interface that indicates a plurality of tasks to be performed by a particular participant, the task data including a task description field for each of the tasks, the task description field describing a respective one of the tasks,
• receiving input data from an input device that describes a current state of a current task among the plurality of tasks, the current task performed currently by the particular participant, the input data further indicating whether the current task is interruptible while the current task is performed by the particular participant, and
• sending to the dynamic task manager through the first network interface a message that includes an indication of whether the current task is interruptible while the current task is performed by the particular participant;
• and
• execution of the second instruction set by the second processor set, causes the second processor set to carry out the steps of:
• receiving the task data from the database,
• receiving quorum data from the database that indicates a particular participant set of one or more participants of the plurality of participants to participate in a particular task of the plurality of tasks,
• receiving through the second network interface the indication of whether the current task is interruptible while the current task is performed by the particular participant, and
• determining a particular time interval to perform the particular task based on the indication of whether the current task is interruptible while the current task is performed by the particular participant.