IMPROVED SERVER AND METHOD FOR ROUTING MESSAGES TO ACHIEVE UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20030105821A1
• Filed: 01/11/1999
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infospace Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: InfoSpace, Inc. (Blucora Incorporated)
• Inventors: CHESTNUT, KEVIN L., HUGG, ETHAN B., SHAH, NIRAJ A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,606,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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

Abstract

A server routes one'"'"'s incoming messages to his/her communication devices according to his/her routing preferences, and modifies the messages as needed. For example, the server can route an incoming page to one'"'"'s email account and, if necessary, modify the page so that it is compatible with the email client. Thus, the server enables a number of diverse features such as: selection of routing topology (direct or indirect), translation of network restrictions, conditioning a synchronous communication for reception by an asynchronous device, message encryption, and callback or “buddy list” services.

Claims

1. A server for facilitating communication between a sending device and a receiving device, the server comprising:

a storage device operable to store a program; and

a processor coupled to the storage device, operable to execute the program, and having first and second states, the processor operable to allow the sending device to send a message past the processor to the receiving device if the processor is in the first state, the processor operable to receive the message from the sending device and to send the message to the receiving device if the processor is in the second state.

2. The server of claim 1 wherein the processor is operable to receive a message-initiation header from the sending device and to enter one of the first and second states in response to the message-initiation header.

3. The server of claim 1 wherein the processor enters the second state only if the sending device cannot send the message directly to the receiving client.

4. The server of claim 1 wherein the processor is operable to receive a message routing preference of a user of the receiving device and to enter one of the first and second states in response to the message routing preference.

5. A server for allowing communication between a sending device of a first type and a receiving device of a second type, the server comprising:

a storage device operable to store a program; and

a processor coupled to the storage device and operable to execute the program, receive a message routing preference of a user of the receiving device, and to route a message from the sending device to the receiving device in response to the message routing preference.

6. The server of claim 5 wherein the processor is operable to receive the user'"'"'s message routing preference from a client of the user when the client is logged on to the server.

7. The server of claim 5 wherein the processor is operable to route the message to the receiving device upon occurrence of a condition specified by the message routing preference.

8. The server of claim 5 wherein the processor is operable, in response to the message routing preference, to route the message to the receiving device when no client of the user is logged onto the server.

9. The server of claim 5 wherein the processor is operable to receive the message from the sending device, to convert the message into a form that is compatible with the receiving device, and to send the converted message to the receiving device.

10. The server of claim 5 wherein the processor is operable to route the message to the receiving device upon the occurrence of a condition specified by the message routing preference.

11. The server of claim 5 wherein the processor is operable to first allow the sending device to send the message to a receiving device of the first type and then to route the message to the receiving device of the second type upon the occurrence of a condition specified by the message routing preference.

12. A server for allowing communication between a first receiving device of a user and a sending device, the server comprising:

a storage device operable to store a program; and

a processor coupled to the storage device, operable to execute the program, operable to receive a message routing preference of the user, and, in response to the message routing preference, operable to route to the first receiving device a message that the sending device directed to a second receiving device of the user.

13. The server of claim 12 wherein the processor is operable to route the message to the first receiving device upon occurrence of a condition specified by the message routing preference.

14. The server of claim 12 wherein:

the second receiving device comprises a desktop pager of the user; and

the processor is operable, in response to the message routing preference, to route the message to the first receiving device if no computer logged onto the server is running the user'"'"'s desktop pager.

15. The server of claim 12 wherein:

the message is sent by the sending device in a form that is compatible with the second receiving device; and

the processor is operable to receive the message from the sending device, to convert the message into a form that is compatible with the first receiving device; and

to send the converted message to the first receiving device.

16. The server of claim 12 wherein:

the second device comprises a desktop pager; and

the processor is operable to route the message to the first receiving device after a period of user inactivity on a computer that is running the desktop pager, the message routing preference specifying the duration of the period.

17. The server of claim 12 wherein:

the second device comprises a desktop pager; and

the processor is operable to allow the sending device to send the message to the desktop pager, to retrieve the message from the desktop pager, and route the message to the first receiving device after a period of user inactivity on a computer that is running the desktop pager, the message routing preference specifying the duration of the period.

18. A server for communicating with a client, the server comprising:

a first storage device operable to store a program; and

a processor coupled to the storage device and operable to execute the program and to store a log-on status of the client.

19. The server of claim 18 wherein the processor is operable to store the log-on status in the first storage device.

20. The server of claim 18 wherein:

the processor comprises a memory; and

the processor is operable to store the log-on status in the memory.

21. The server of claim 18, further comprising:

a second storage device; and

wherein the processor is operable to store the log-on status in the second storage device.

22. The server of claim 18, further comprising:

a log-on-status storage device;

wherein the processor is operable to, further comprising;

maintain a record of logged-on clients in the a log-on-status storage device; and

wherein the processor is operable to store a value in the record while the client is logged onto the server, the value identifying the client.

23. A server for first and second clients, the server comprising:

a storage device operable to store a program; and

a processor coupled to the storage device and operable to execute the program, to receive a callback request from the first client, and to provide the callback request to the second client.

24. The server of claim 23, further comprising:

a callback status memory;

wherein the processor is operable to maintain a record of callback requests in the callback status memory, provide the callback request to the second client if the second client is logged onto the server, store the callback request in the record if the second client is logged off of the server, and provide the stored callback request to the second client if the second client subsequently logs onto the server.

25. The server of claim 23 wherein the processor is operable to receive a cancellation of the callback request from the second client.

26. The server of claim 23, further comprising:

a log-on status memory;

a callback status memory; and

wherein the processor is operable to store the identities of the first and second clients in the log-on status memory if the first and second clients, respectively, are logged onto the server, to obtain the log-on status of the second client from the log-on status memory in response to receiving the callback request from the first client, to provide the callback request to the second client if the second client is logged onto the server, and to store the callback request in the callback status memory if the second client is logged off of the server first .

27. A method for facilitating communication between a sending device and a receiving device, the method comprising:

allowing a message from the sending device to be directly routed past a server to the receiving device if the server is in first state; and

receiving the message from the sending device with the server and sending the received message from the server to the receiving device if the server is in the second state.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising setting the state of the server in response to a message-initiation request from the sending device.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising setting the server in the second state only if the sending device cannot send the message directly to the receiving device.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising setting the state of the server in response to a message routing preference of a user.

31. A method, comprising directing a message from a sending device of a first type to a receiving device of a second type in response to a message routing preference of a user of the receiving device.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

generating the user'"'"'s message routing preference with a client running on a computer; and

providing the message routing preference to a server when the computer is logged on to the server, the server being in communication with the sending and receiving devices.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the directing comprises directing the message to the receiving device upon occurrence of a condition specified by the message routing preference.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the directing comprises directing the message to the receiving device when no client of the user is logged onto a server that is in communication with the sending and receiving devices.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the directing comprises:

convert the message into a form that is compatible with the receiving device; and

sending the converted message to the receiving device.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

allowing the sending device to send the message to a receiving device of the first type; and

wherein the directing comprises directing the message to the receiving device after the allowing and upon the occurrence of a condition specified by the message routing preference.

37. A method, comprising routing a message from a sending device to a first receiving device of a user in response to a message routing preference of the user, the sending device having directed the message to a second receiving device of the user.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the routing comprises routing the message to the first receiving device upon occurrence of a condition specified by the message routing preference.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein:

the second receiving device comprises a desktop pager; and

the routing comprises routing the message to the first receiving device if no computer running the desktop pager is logged onto a server that is in communication with the sending and first receiving devices.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein:

the message is sent from the sending device in a form that is compatible with the second receiving device; and

the routing comprises converting the message into a form that is compatible with the first receiving device and sending the converted message to the first receiving device.

41. The method of claim 37 wherein:

the second device comprises a desktop pager;

the message routing preference specifies a period of user inactivity on a computer that is running the desktop pager; and

the routing comprises routing the message to the first receiving device after the period has elapsed.

42. A method, comprising storing on a server a log-on status for a client that has log-on privileges with respect to the server.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the storing comprises storing a value in a memory location if the client is logged onto the server, the value corresponding to the client.

44. A method, comprising:

receiving a callback request from a first client that is logged onto the server; and

providing the callback request to a second client.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

maintaining a record of callback requests;

providing the callback request to the second client if the second client is logged onto the server; and

storing the callback request in the record if the second client is logged off of the server

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

receiving a callback cancellation request from the second client; and

canceling the callback request in response to the cancellation request.

47. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

receiving a callback acknowledgement from the second client; and

notifying the first client that the second client is available.

48. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

maintaining a record of callback requests;

providing the callback request to the second client if the second client is logged onto the server;

storing the callback request in the record if the second client is logged off of the server; and

providing the stored callback request to the second client if the second client subsequently logs onto the server.