Patent ID: 7552393

Claim:
A method of hooking up at least two people using a computer-implemented hook-up assistant (HUA), wherein said people are connected in a network environment having a plurality of users, and wherein each of said users has a network-enabled calendar, said method comprising: automatically activating said HUA in response to an incomplete telephone call made by a first of said at least two people to a second of said at least two people, wherein said incomplete telephone call that triggers the automatic activation of said HUA is indicated by a busy signal, an answering machine, a voicemail, a facsimile machine, or a computerized agent, and wherein said activated HUA hooks up said at least two people by: (a) determining an appropriate time when said at least two people to be hooked up will be available to participate in an event or activity; (b) scheduling said event or activity at said appropriate time on respective calendars of said at least two people; and (c) initiating said event or activity substantially at said appropriate time, wherein said initiating said event or activity comprises establishing a real-time communication between said at least two people, wherein said real-time communication is selected from the group consisting of a phone call, an instant messaging session, an online chat, a video phone session, and a teleconference.