Network framework and applications for providing notification(s)

• US 20040068481A1
• Filed: 02/26/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Knight, Holly, Pather, Shyamalan, Seshadri, Praveen, Mensa-Annan, Charles Tete, Garrett, Philip, Blanch, Robert F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and methodology to facilitate automated delivery of notifications according to various applications that can be employed with the framework of a notification platform. The applications are described by models that enable users to easily/conveniently interact with the notification platform. One such model includes a brokering model acting as a third party to receive user definitions of desired services and then chains such services in order to deliver a service bundle to the user in accordance with the platform. A dynamic pricing model can be provided to facilitate delivery of services according to various factors such as volume pricing discounts for notification services. A subscription access model is provided to enable users to conveniently subscribe and un-subscribe to services, whereas a push/pull model may be employed to give users one or more options regarding delivery of alternative services. A context model can be provided that enables users to alter their subscriptions based upon current contextual states. A device filter model provides users with controls for varying the types and amounts of notifications. A billing model includes describing interactions between an automated billing and subscription service and one or more interactions of the notification platform, wherein subscription events/messages relating one or more users in the billing system can be delivered to the user via the notification platform.

Claims

1. A notification system comprising:

a database engine that processes received events and subscription information, the database engine modeling the events and subscriptions as data prior to processing so as to facilitate event and subscription processing;

a notification platform that delivers notifications to subscribers in accordance with the processed events and subscription information; and

at least one application model to facilitate subscribing and un-subscribing to at least one source that generates the notifications.

2. The system of claim 1, the notification platform includes at least one server to distribute information from one or more event sources that generate notifications to at least one notification sink that receives information from the event sources.

3. The system of claim 1, the application model includes at least one of a brokering model, a dynamic pricing model, a subscription access model, a push model, a pull model, a context model, a device model, and a billing model.

4. The system of claim 2, the notification platform includes at least one SQL server that processes data from a plurality of event sources and performs join operations to distribute notifications to the at least one notification sink.

5. The system of claim 3, the brokering model receives notification specifications from users and determines notification services to satisfy the specifications.

6. The system of claim 5, the brokering model includes at least one of a notification brokering component and a subscription brokering component.

7. The system of claim 6, the brokering model generates at least one of a service bundle and a notification bundle that is employed by a notification platform to deliver notifications to a user.

8. The system of claim 5, the brokering model receives the notification specifications via at least one of a query and an unsolicited request.

9. The system of claim 3, the dynamic pricing model includes at least one of a group component, a volume component, a time-based component, a location-based component, a context-based component, a usage-based component, and an association based component to facilitate price adjustments within a notification architecture.

10. The system of claim 9, the dynamic pricing model is associated with at least one of a user profile, an attribute associated with the user profile, and a performance component to determine the price adjustments.

11. The system of claim 3, the subscription access model includes at least one of a subscription switch, a short term control, an intermittent control, a trial subscription control, and a conversion control to facilitate subscription adjustments.

12. The system of claim 3, the pull model is associated with a user'"'"'s request to receive notifications that are not in accordance with the user'"'"'s current subscriptions.

13. The system of claim 3, the push model is driven by incentives offered to a user.

14. The system of claim 13, the push model further comprises controls to disable information from being pushed to the user.

15. The system of claim 1, the context model employed to adjust a subscription associated with at least one notification service.

16. The system of claim 15, the context model includes at least one of a context source, a context characterization component, a context consumer, a component to obtain context, a context propagation component, and a component to expose context.

17. The system of claim 3, the device model includes at least one of a receive component, a capabilities component, a filter component, a delivery conditions component, and a device conditions component to facilitate interactions with a notification platform and at least one subscription.

18. The system of claim 3, the billing model includes at least one of a subscription platform service and a processing engine to facilitate automated billing in accordance with a notification platform.

19. The system of claim 18, processing engine includes at least one of a balance impact engine, a qualification engine, and a provision engine to manage accounts associated with at least one notification service.

20. The system of claim 18, the billing model further comprising at least one of a subscription store, a resource balance store, a billing impact store, a product catalog, and a rated event store.

21. A computer readable medium storing computer executable components for implementing the system of claim 1.

22. A notification system comprising:

means for obtaining events and subscription information;

means for processing the events and subscriptions information;

means for generating notification data from the events and subscriptions data; and

means for delivering notifications to subscribers in accordance with at least one application component.

23. The system of claim 22, the application component further comprises at least one of a broker component, a price component, a subscription control component, a push component, a pull component, a context component, a device configuration component, and a billing component.

24. A notification methodology, comprising:

defining at least one application model;

interfacing the application model with a notification platform; and

employing the application model to at least one of subscribe and un-subscribe to a notification service associated with the notification platform.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising defining a user profile adjust performance of the notification platform.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising adjusting the user profiles to at least one of a device and system capabilities.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving notification specifications via at least one of a query and an unsolicited request, and packaging notification services based upon the specifications.

28. The method of claim 24, the notification service offering a discount based on at least one of a group component, a volume component, a time-based component, a location-based component, a context-based component, a usage-based component, and an association based component.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising adjusting a subscription based at least on one of a subscription switch, a short term control, an intermittent control, a trial subscription control, and a conversion control.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising at least one of pushing information to a user based on incentive and pushing information to a user based upon a user control.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising employing context to adjust a subscription.

32. The method of claim 24, further comprising associating the notification platform with an automated billing system.

33. A signal for a notification system, comprising:

a first data packet that transmits at least one of notification events and subscription information; and

a second data packet that delivers notifications to subscribers in accordance with the notification events and a subscription, at least one of the notifications, notification events, and the subscription is associated with an application model that can automatically adjust the status of the subscription.

34. The signal of claim 33, the application model includes at least one of a broker model, a price model, an access model, a push/pull model, a context model, a device model, and a billing model.