Patent ID: 7752264

Claim:
A computer system for adjusting instant messaging control settings of an instant messaging application in a computing environment that includes at least one instant messaging application and at least one calendar application, the system comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor configured to: detect a calendar event associated with a calendar entry of the calendar application, the calendar event including at least one of a creation of the calendar entry, an editing of the calendar entry, and a receipt of a notification for the calendar entry; upon detection of the calendar event, prompt a user of the instant messaging application for a manual adjustment to a control setting or an automatic adjustment based on the calendar application entry; adjust the control setting manually by the user if the manual adjustment to the control setting is selected; look up a default setting and adjust the control setting automatically to the default setting if the automatic adjustment of the control setting is selected, wherein the calendar application is remote from the instant messaging application and the control setting is conveyed from the remote application to the instant messaging application across a network; determine an availability setting within the remote application for at least one additional application other than the instant messaging application based upon the calendar application entry; convey the availability setting from the remote application to the at least one additional application across a network; and automatically adjust a setting of the at least one additional application in accordance with the availability setting.