Patent ID: 7443971

Claim:
In a computer network including at least one computer system, a method for handling communications comprising: providing an interface to a user for setting a do not disturb mode at a computing system, the do not disturb mode being selected from a plurality of levels, the plurality of levels comprising a complete do not disturb level wherein no notification is available and a standard do not disturb level wherein the notification is based on an evaluation a communication source and a communication type; receiving input setting a current level of the do not disturb mode from the plurality of levels; in response to receiving a communication from a sender of a plurality of available types and sources of communications, performing the acts of; evaluating the current level of the do not disturb mode; and determining whether a notification is necessary, based at least in part on an evaluation of the communication source, the communication type and the current level of the do not disturb mode, and if a notification is determined to be necessary, determining the type of notification, from a plurality of notification types, to output to the user based on the evaluation of the communication source and the current level of the do not disturb mode, and outputting a notification to the user that is based on the determined type of notification.