Electronic mail priority alert service

• US 20040181587A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia of America Corporation (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Luo, Wenzhe, Wu, Jian, Jin, Liang, Cao, Qinghong
• Granted Patent: US 7,290,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities

Abstract

The present invention relates to a new feature for e-mail services which provides a telephone call alert to a particular e-mail user when their e-mail server, web page e-mail server, or other e-mail receiving server receives new e-mail addressed to them. One or more designated telephone number (or numbers) are automatically called by an auto dialer at the e-mail server in response to the receipt of particularly identified high priority e-mail senders (e.g., from clients, from family, etc.). The particular designated telephone number(s) to call for a particular user are configured in a priority alert profile for that particular user, as are the possibility to limit the activation of the telephone call alert system to electronic messages received only from a select list of senders, and/or after a predetermined number of electronic messages have been received.

Claims

1. An electronic message alerting module, comprising:

a plurality of priority alert profiles, each of said plurality of priority alert profiles associating an electronic message user with at least one telephone number; and

an autodialer adapted to dial said at least one telephone number associated with said electronic message user when an electronic message addressed to said electronic message user is received.

2. The electronic message alerting module according to claim 1, further comprising:

an alert message adapted for playback to a party successfully called by said autodialer.

3. The electronic message alerting module according to claim 1, wherein:

said electronic message is e-mail.

4. The electronic message alerting module according to claim 1, wherein:

said electronic message alerting module is controlled by an associated e-mail server.

5. The electronic message alerting module according to claim 1, wherein:

said electronic message is controlled by an associated web page based e-mail server.

6. The electronic message alerting module according to claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of alert profiles are managed within a database.

7. The electronic message alerting module according to claim 6, wherein:

said database is a relational database.

8. The electronic message alerting module according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said plurality of priority alert profiles further associating at least one electronic message sender with activation of said autodialer, and non-activation of said autodialer upon receipt of an electronic message not including identification of a sender included in a relevant one of said plurality of priority alert profiles for a recipient of said electronic message.

9. The electronic message alerting module according to claim 8, wherein:

said electronic message is e-mail.

10. A method of alerting a recipient of an electronic message, comprising:

identifying a recipient of a received electronic message;

determining a telephone number for said recipient; and

dialing said determined telephone number for said recipient of said received electronic message to alert said recipient of said received electronic message.

11. The method of alerting a recipient of an electronic message according to claim 10, wherein:

said dialing is automatically dialed without requiring user intervention.

12. The method of alerting a recipient of an electronic message according to claim 11, further comprising:

playing a message relating to receipt of said electronic message if said dialing successfully establishes a telephone call.

13. The method of alerting a recipient of an electronic message according to claim 10, wherein:

said electronic message is an e-mail message.

14. The method of alerting a recipient of an electronic message according to claim 10, further comprising:

redialing an alternate telephone number for said recipient of said received electronic message if said dialing is unsuccessful in establishing a telephone call.

15. The method of alerting a recipient of an electronic message according to claim 14, wherein:

said steps of dialing and redialing are automatic without requiring user intervention.

16. Apparatus for alerting a recipient of an electronic message, comprising:

means for identifying a recipient of a received electronic message;

means for determining a telephone number for said recipient; and

means for dialing a telephone number for said recipient of said received electronic message.

17. The apparatus for alerting a recipient of an electronic message according to claim 16, wherein:

said means for dialing automatically dials said telephone number without requiring user intervention.

18. The apparatus for alerting a recipient of an electronic message according to claim 17, further comprising:

means for playing a message relating to receipt of said electronic message if said means for dialing successfully establishes a telephone call.

19. The apparatus for alerting a recipient of an electronic message according to claim 16, wherein:

said electronic message is an e-mail message.

20. The apparatus for alerting a recipient of an electronic message according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for redialing an alternate telephone number for said recipient of said received electronic message if said dialing is unsuccessful in establishing a telephone call.

21. The apparatus for alerting a recipient of an electronic message according to claim 20, wherein:

said means for dialing and said means for redialing are automatic without requiring user intervention.

22. A method of alerting a recipient of an electronic message from a given source, comprising:

identifying a recipient of a received electronic message;

identifying a source of said received electronic message;

comparing said source of said electronic message to a predefined list of sources for which to alert said recipient by telephone; and

if said source is identified in said predefined list of sources for which to alert said recipient by telephone, dialing a telephone number for said recipient and telephonically alerting said recipient of said received electronic message from a predefined source.

23. The method of alerting a recipient of an electronic message according to claim 22, wherein:

said electronic message is an e-mail message.