Managing electronic messages sent to mobile devices associated with electronic messaging accounts

• US 10,389,661 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2014
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Odell, James A., Appelman, Barry, Wick, Andrew L., Keister, Alan, Bergstrom, Raine, Yin, Xiaoyan, McNally, Barbara, Hullfish, Keith C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman, Scott T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mrabi, Hassan
• Application Number:
  US14/447,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20140344383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 715739
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks

Abstract

A graphical user interface on a display device of a computer enables communications using a computer service. The graphical user interface includes a list of potential message recipients selected by a user as significant to the user. The graphical user interface also includes a mobile device identifier associated with one or more of the listed potential message recipients and a user account identifier associated with one or more of the listed potential message recipients. At least one of the listed potential recipients includes a mobile device identifier as the only available conduit for data delivery to the potential message recipient using the computer service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an identification of a mobile telephone number to be associated with an electronic messaging account;

associating, using at least one processor, the mobile telephone number with the electronic messaging account;

receiving a first type of electronic message addressed to the electronic messaging account;

determining that a user has configured the electronic messaging account to forward electronic messages to a mobile device associated with the mobile telephone number;

in response to the determination, sending both the first type of electronic message to the electronic messaging account and a second type of electronic message comprising a converted version of the first type of electronic message to the mobile device associated with the mobile telephone number;

receiving a reply message from the mobile device; and

creating a new message based on the reply message by;

determining a first character set of the reply message and a second character set of the first type of electronic message, wherein the second character set is different from the first character set; and

converting the reply message to the second character set of the first type of electronic message, thereby hiding source information of a sender of the reply message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a set of locations at which the electronic messaging account is active;

identifying the mobile device from the identified set of locations; and

determining that the mobile device is available to receive the second type of electronic message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the source information of the sender of the reply message comprises one or more of a telephone number of the sender of the reply message or a screen name of the sender of the reply message.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising sending a respective electronic message to each computing device in the set of computing devices, wherein one or more of the respective electronic messages comprises a converted version of the first type of electronic message compatible with a given computing device within the set of computing devices.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining whether each computing device in the set of computing devices is available to receive an electronic message.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining that the electronic messaging account was active most recently at the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining that the electronic messaging account was active first at the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the electronic messaging account is active at the identified set of locations based on a determination that the electronic messaging account is signed in to a communications system at each of the identified set of locations.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second reply message from the mobile device;

determining a character set of the second reply message; and

refraining from converting the second reply message so that source information of a sender of the second reply message is not hidden.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving, from the mobile device, an indication to hide the source information of the sender of the second reply message.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, in response to receiving the indication to hide the source information of the sender of the second reply message, replacing at least a portion of the source information of the sender of the second reply message with information indicating a source of the first type of electronic message.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving, from the mobile device, an indication not to hide the source information of the sender of the second reply message.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, in response to receiving the indication not to hide the source information of the sender of the second reply message, providing information to reveal a source of the second reply message.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a reply telephone number to facilitate receipt of the reply message sent from the mobile device;

sending the reply telephone number to the mobile device as part of the second type of electronic message;

wherein receiving the reply message from the mobile devices comprises receiving an electronic message addressed to the reply telephone number; and

forwarding the reply electronic message to a sender of the first type of electronic message.

15. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

receive an identification of a mobile telephone number to be associated with an electronic messaging account;

associate the mobile telephone number with the electronic messaging account;

receive a first type of electronic message addressed to the electronic messaging account;

determine that a user has configured the electronic messaging account to forward electronic messages to a mobile device associated with the mobile telephone number;

in response to the determination, send both the first type of electronic message to the electronic messaging account and a second type of electronic message comprising a converted version of the first type of electronic message to the mobile device associated with the mobile telephone number;

receive a reply message from the mobile device; and

create a new message based on the reply message by;

determining a first character set of the reply message and a second character set of the first type of electronic message, wherein the second character set is different from the first character set; and

converting the reply message to the second character set of the first type of electronic message, thereby hiding source information of a sender of the reply message.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to receive, from the mobile device, a reply electronic message directed to a sender of the first type of electronic message, the reply electronic message having a reply source indicator that is different from an intended destination indicator identified by the sender, wherein the reply source indicator indicates a location from which the reply electronic message was sent and wherein the intended destination indicator indicates a location to which the first type of electronic message was sent.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to send a communication based on the reply electronic message, the communication having a surrogate reply source indicator that is the same as the intended destination indicator, wherein the surrogate reply source indicator indicates an alternate location from which the reply electronic message was sent.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to send a communication based on the reply electronic message, the communication having a surrogate reply source indicator that is the same as the reply source indicator.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to send a communication based on the reply electronic message, the communication having a surrogate reply source indicator that comprises the intended destination indicator and the reply source indicator.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the intended destination indicator comprises a username and the reply source indicator comprises the mobile telephone number.