Relationship-managed communication channels

• US 20060064739A1
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: H.E.B., LLC (VHGI Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: H.E.B., LLC (VHGI Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tolson, Michael, Dale, Andrew L., Guthrie, Paul D., Buchanan, Christopher L.
• Application Number:
  US10/944,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064739A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing computer-assisted communications channels based on relationships between users who wish to communicate with one another are described. The relationship-managed communications system allows users to retain control over whom they permit to communicate with them and under what conditions such communications may take place, for example when they take place and/or using which communications channels, by allowing pairs of users to establish relationships which specify communications permissions. Users of the system provide their contact information to the relationship-managed communications system, and the system uses the securely stored information to mediate the establishment of communications channels between users. Embodiments of the system may intelligently route communications to substitute channels based on relationship-related and other information. Systems and methods are further provided for selectively publishing information about users and for providing event notification services in association with the establishment of relationships.

Claims

1. A method for managing computer-assisted communications between users, such that users control who is permitted to communicate with them, what computer-assisted communication channels others are permitted to use for communicating with them, and when others are permitted to communicate with them, and users are further provided with options to specify additional instructions regarding the routing and management of communications that come to them, the method comprising:

establishing, at the request of a first user, a communication relationship between the first user and a second user, including receiving from the first user identifying information about at least one computer-assisted communication channel that the first user permits the second user to use for communicating with the first user, receiving from the first user information about time periods during which the first user limits the second user'"'"'s permission to use the at least one identified communication channel, and receiving additional instructions that the first user gives the relationship-managed communications system for managing the second user'"'"'s ability to communicate with the first user, such as instructing the communications system to re-route incoming communications from one channel to another channel under specifically defined conditions;

securely storing contact information that allows for accessing the at least one computer-assisted communication channel for communicating with the first user;

informing the second user about the communication relationship with the second user;

receiving a request from the second user to communicate with the first user using a first communication channel;

determining whether the second user is currently permitted to communicate with the first user using the first communication channel and determining whether any additional instructions from the first user apply to the communication; and

if the second user is currently permitted to communicate with the first user, initiating use of a communications channel with first user on behalf of the second user in accordance with the additional instructions from the first user, wherein the second user need not possess the contact information that allows for initiating use of the communication channel.

2. A relationship-managed communications system for managing computer-based communications between users, such that users of the system have control over who is permitted to communicate with them, when others are permitted to communicate with them, and using which communications channels others are permitted to use to communicate with them, the relationship-managed communications system comprising:

a configuration module configured to receive and store contact information in an identity repository, wherein the contact information provides access information for opening one or more computer-assisted communications channels to a first user, the configuration module further configured to receive and store relationship-related data in a communications permissions repository, wherein the relationship-related data comprises information received from the first user about other users who are permitted to contact the first user, and about communications channels that each of the other users is permitted to use to communicate with the first user, and about times when the each of the other users are permitted to use each of the communications channels; and

a communications module configured to receive from the second user a request to open a computer-assisted communications channel with the first user, the communications module further configured to determine, based on the relationship-related data from the first user with respect to the second user, whether the second user is permitted to communicate with the first user using the requested computer-assisted communications channel, and if the second user is permitted to communicate with the first user using the requested computer-assisted communications channel, opening the computer-assisted communication channel on behalf of the second user, wherein the second user need not possess the contact information used by the relationship-managed communications system to open the communication channel.

3. A method for managing computer-based communications between a first user and a second user, the method comprising the acts of:

establishing a relationship between a first user and a second user, wherein the relationship defines a set of communications channels that the first user is allowed to use to communicate with the second user;

storing information about the relationship;

receiving a request from the first user to open a communications channel to the second user;

accessing the stored relationship information to determine if the requested communications channel is among the set of allowed communications channels; and

opening the communications channel if the requested communications channel is among the set of allowed communications channels.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein establishing a relationship further comprises receiving from the second user information about one or more time periods associated with each communications channel in the set, wherein during the one or more time periods the first user is allowed to use the associated communications channel to communicate with the second user.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the act of:

opening a substitute communications channel if the requested communications channel is not among the set of allowed communications channels and if the information received from the second user comprises instructions to use the substitute communications channel.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising the acts of:

receiving from the first user information about a set of communications channels that the second user is allowed to use to communicate with the first user;

storing the information from the first user with the information about the relationship;

receiving a request from the second user to open a communications channel to the first user;

accessing the stored relationship information to determine if the requested communications channel is among the set received from the first user; and

opening the communications channel if the requested communications channel is among the set received from the first user.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the set of set of communications channels that the first user is allowed to use to communicate with the second user comprises at least one of:

a channel for secure message communications, a channel for instant messaging (IM) communications, a channel for telephone communications, and a channel for voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) communications.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the set of set of communications channels that the first user is allowed to use to communicate with the second user comprises at least one of:

a channel for e-mail communications, a channel for file-transfer communications, a channel for facsimile (fax) communications, and a channel for short message service (SMS) communications.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the set of set of communications channels that the first user is allowed to use to communicate with the second user is empty.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the set of set of communications channels that the first user is allowed to use to communicate with the second user comprises digital communications channels.

11. A computer-based system for managing communications between users, the system comprising:

a communications permissions repository for information about communications channels that a first user is allowed to use to communicate with a second user; and

a messaging module configured to receive from the first user a request to communicate with the second user using a communications channel, the messaging module further configured to access the communications permissions repository to determine if the first user is allowed to use the communications channel, and, if the first user is allowed to use the communications channel, the messaging module further configured to accept a computer-based communication for the second user from the first user.

12. The computer-based system of claim 11, wherein the messaging module is further configured to notify the second user about the computer-based communication.

13. The computer-based system of claim 11, wherein the information in the communications permissions repository about communications channels that the first user is allowed to use to communicate with the second user is based at least in part on information supplied by the second user.

14. The computer-based system of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the information in the communications permissions repository is contact information pertaining to the second user that is not accessible by the first user.

15. The computer-based system of claim 11, wherein the communications permissions repository further comprises information about at least one of:

time periods associated with allowed communications channels, priority levels associated with use of allowed communications channels, permission overrides associated with use of communications channels, and substitute communication channels to be used in association with communications between the first user and the second user.

16. The computer-based system of claim 11, further comprising:

a repository of identity data about the second user, wherein the identity data comprises instructions from the second user specifying portions of the identity data that the system is not permitted to make available to the first user.

17. The computer-based system of claim 16, wherein the instructions from the second user comprise permissions that are based at least in part on a role that the second user identifies for the first user.

18. The computer-based system of claim 11, further comprising:

an event matrix that stores information about one or more requests from the first user to receive notification when a defined event associated with the second user occurs; and

an event module configured to access information in the event matrix, the event module further configured to receive information when the defined event occurs and to send a notification to the first user.

19. A computer-based system for managing communications between users, the system comprising:

a configuration module, configured to establish a relationship between a first user and a second user, the configuration module further configured to allow the first user to specify parameters for acceptable communications that the first user is willing to receive from the second user, the configuration module further configured to allow the second user to specify parameters for acceptable communications that the second user is willing to receive from the first user, the configuration module further configured to store in a permissions repository information about the parameters specified by the first user and the parameters specified by the second user; and

a messaging module configured to receive from the first user a computer-based communication for the second user, the messaging module further configured to access the permissions repository to determine if the computer-based communication conforms to the second user'"'"'s specified parameters, the messaging module further configured to notify the second user about the computer-based communication if the communication conforms to the second user'"'"'s specified parameters.

20. A method for establishing a relationship between a first user and a second user of a relationship-managed communications system, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving a request from a first user to establish a relationship with a second user;

receiving relationship-related data from the first user defining communications permissions that the first user allows to the second user;

allowing the second user to provide relationship-related data defining communications permissions that the second user allows to the first user; and

storing the relationship-related data from the first user and the relationship-related data from the second user.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the relationship-related data from the second user indicates that the second user does not allow the first user to communicate with the second user.

22. A computer-based system for managing communications between users, the system comprising:

a communications permissions repository for information about communications channels that a first user is allowed to use to communicate with a second user; and

a messaging module configured to receive from the first user a request to communicate with the second user using a communications channel, the messaging module further configured to access the communications permissions repository to determine if the first user is allowed to use the communications channel, and, if the first user is allowed to use the communications channel, the messaging module further configured to receive from the first user an encrypted computer-based communication for the second user and permissions that define access limitations which the first user sets for the second user'"'"'s access to the communication;

a repository of encrypted communications for securely storing the encrypted communication;

a repository of sender metadata that stores information about the communication including the permissions received from the first user and a storage location in the encrypted communications repository where the communication is stored; and

a remote access manager for sending recipient metadata to the second user, wherein the recipient metadata notifies the second user about the securely stored communication that the first user is storing for the second user, the recipient metadata further providing contact information that allows the second user to request access to the securely stored communication.

23. A system for managing computer-based communications between a first user and a second user, the system comprising:

means for establishing a relationship between a first user and a second user that defines a set of communications channels that the first user is allowed to use to communicate with the second user;

means for storing information about the relationship;

means for receiving a request from the first user to open a communications channel to the second user;

means for accessing the stored relationship information to determine if the requested communications channel is among the set of allowed communications channels; and

means for opening the communications channel if the requested communications channel is among the set of allowed communications channels.