Method and apparatus to manage messaging providing different communication modes using one identifier and not requiring to disclose contact information

• US 10,708,727 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2019
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IngenioShare, LLC
• Original Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheung, Kwok Wai, Tong, Peter P., Thomas, C. Douglass
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Kiet M
• Application Number:
  US16/556,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20190387371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 4554353, 455446, 455512, 4554321, 455411, 455518, 455520
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4365 based on information specified by the calling party, e.g. priority or subject
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method to manage the communication of a user are disclosed. In one embodiment, when a person tries to electronically convey a message to the user, the status of the user, the identity of the person, and the urgency of the message can be identified. The access priority of the person can be determined based on the person'"'"'s identity. Then, the message can be managed using one or more rules and in view of the status of the user, the access priority of the person and the urgency of the message.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to facilitate electronic communication of a plurality of users using at least a network-based portal at least based on Internet protocol, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of modes of communication to a first user to allow the first user to use one of the plurality of modes of communication as a selected mode of communication for a first message to be sent from the first user to a second user, based on an identifier associated with the first user previously set by the first user via the network-based portal,

wherein the plurality of modes of communication supported by the network-based portal include at least text communication using a personal computer, voice communication using a personal computer, and communication with at least an image, and

wherein messages are eligible to be received by the second user via the network-based portal, based on any of the plurality of modes of communication, all depending on an identifier associated with the second user previously set by the second user via the network-based portal, which allows the second user to efficiently maintain the second user'"'"'s communication using the plurality of modes of communication;

enabling the second user to block the first user from using at least the selected mode of communication to communicate with the second user via the network-based portal, based on the identifier associated with the first user;

enabling the first message to be provided to the second user, using the selected mode of communication, depending on the identifier associated with the second user, in view of the second user not blocking the first user from using the selected mode of communication to communicate with the second user, via the network-based portal;

and

receiving a second message from the second user to the first user, to respond to the first message, after the second user has received the first message,

wherein one of the first message or the second message is voice and the other of the first message or the second message is text,

wherein even when the first message is received by the second user via the selected mode of communication, contact information associated with the second user and provided by the second user to the network-based portal is not provided via the network-based portal to the first user, and contact information associated with the first user and provided by the first user to the network-based portal is not provided via the network-based portal to the second user, so as to provide an option to the second user to keep the contact information associated with the second user confidential from the first user, and to provide an option to the first user to keep the contact information associated with the first user confidential from the second user,

wherein the identifier associated with the second user is distinct from the contact information associated with the second user, and the identifier associated with the first user is distinct from the contact information associated with the first user,

wherein the contact information associated with the second user includes at least one of a phone number or an email address of the second user, and

wherein the contact information associated with the first user includes at least one of a phone number or an email address of the first user.

2. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 comprising enabling a message to be provided to the second user from the first user, with the message based on a mode of communication that is different from the selected mode, even though the second user has blocked the first user from using the selected mode of communication to communicate with the second user.

3. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 2, wherein the mode of communication different from the selected mode includes communication with at least an image and communication in an audio manner.

4. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 2 comprising enabling a message to be provided to the second user from another user using the selected mode to communicate, but not enabling messages to be provided to the second user from the another user using the mode of communication different from the selected mode to communicate, via the network-based portal.

5. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 comprising:

enabling a message to be provided to the second user from the first user, with the message based on a mode of communication that is different from the selected mode; and

enabling a message to be provided to the second user from another user using the selected mode to communication, but not enabling messages to be provided to the second user from the another user using the mode of communication different from the selected mode, via the network-based portal.

6. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of modes of communication supported by the network-based portal include at least communication using an electronic device without a computer keyboard, and wherein the method supports a user to use an electronic device with a computer keyboard to communicate with another user using an electronic device without a computer keyboard.

7. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 comprising:

receiving an indication from the second user for the first user via the network-based portal to generate an urgent notification for the first user; and

enabling the urgent notification to be generated to notify the first user at least in view of receiving the indication.

8. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein the urgent notification is enabled to be generated at least in an audio manner.

9. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 comprising enabling an urgent notification to be provided to the second user from the first user, even though the second user has blocked the first user from using the selected mode of communication to communicate with the second user.

10. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the first message is a text message, and

wherein the method comprises transforming the first message into a voice message so that the first message is provided to the second user in an audio manner via a speaker if the first user is not blocked from using the selected mode of communication to communicate with the second user.

11. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 10, wherein the method comprises transforming the second message from voice into text to be provided to the first user.

12. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

keeping track of the number of times the second user has blocked the first user to communicate with the second user; and

blocking the first user to communicate with the second user at least via the selected mode of communication after the number of times has reached a preset number.

13. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 12, wherein the method comprises asking the second user for permission before blocking the first user to communicate with the second user at least via the selected mode of communication.

14. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method comprises receiving at least an indication from the second user specifying the first user having a right to access the second user before messages are eligible to be provided to the second user from the first user via the network-based portal.

15. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

determining availability of the second user related to receiving messages; and

sending data to the first user regarding the availability of the second user related to receiving messages.

16. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 comprising enabling the second user to select a predetermined message to send to the first user, the predetermined message being selected from a set of predetermined messages provided to the second user.

17. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of communication modes include at least text communication using a mobile phone, and voice communication using a mobile phone.