Instant message mass update generated from website entry

• US 20050198150A1
• Filed: 01/29/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Werner, Carl Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/767,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20050198150A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting

Abstract

A quick and efficient method of disbursing system “alerts” and “updates” to computers utilizes automated IM messages that are sent to targeted IM groups, where the groups are “targeted” by a system administrator based upon the definitions of the various IM groups. The automated IM will appear as a “pop up” to each IM session member in real time, and may include a “trailer” defining the message as automated and thereby not allowing the IM members to respond (other than to acknowledge receipt, if desired). The system administrator may also include a listing of email addresses for the various members of each IM group, where an email message including the update/alert may be sent to any IM group member not involved in an IM session when the automated IM message is sent.

Claims

1. An arrangement for transmitting electronic updates/alerts over a data network to a plurality of data network system users, the arrangement comprising:

a website update/alert administrator, coupled to the data network, for receiving update or alert messages from said network, said website update/alert administrator including a database of instant messaging (IM) groups and a listing targeting various IM groups to associate with different types of updates and alerts, the administrator including a transmission element for sending an automated IM to each member of each targeted IM group, the automated IM including the update/alert message information.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the website update/alert administrator further includes a listing of email addresses for each member of each IM group, wherein an email version of an update/alert is sent if a member is not involved in the IM session at the time the automated IM is sent.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the email version of the update/alert requests an acknowledge reply from each IM group member receiving the email version of the update/alert.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the automated IM includes a trailer portion indicating that the IM is “

automated” and

“

cannot be responded to”

.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the automated IM includes a request for acknowledge of receipt by each IM group member to confirm that each member of the IM group has received the update/alert.

6. A method of transmitting update/alert messages over a data network to a plurality of data network system users, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, at a website administrator, an update/alert message to be sent to a plurality of system users,

b) using the message information, retrieving a targeted listing of IM groups to whom the update/alert message should be sent; and

c) transmitting the update/alert message as an automated IM to each member of each targeted IM group.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

d) determining if any members of any targeted groups are not involved in the IM session at the time the automated IM is sent; and

, if so,

e) retrieving the email address of each user not involved in the IM session; and

f) transmitting an email version of the automated IM to each user not involved in the IM session.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the transmitted email version includes a request for each user to transmit a confirmation reply message.

9. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein the automated IM message transmitted in step c) includes a trailer portion indicating that the message is “

automated” and

“

cannot be responded to”

.

10. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein the automated IM message transmitted in step c) includes a request to acknowledge receipt of the message by each IM group member by transmitting a confirmation reply message to the website administrator.

11. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the method further comprises the step of:

g) associating each received acknowledgement with a proper IM group member to determine which IM groups have received the update/alert and which IM group members have not received the update/alert.