Electronic message notification

• US 20060235929A1
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Walter, Edward, Diroo, Yolius
• Application Number:
  US11/105,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20060235929A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A technique that allows a recipient of an electronic message to be notified that the electronic message has been received for the recipient. A notification message containing an address of the recipient is used to notify an intelligent gateway in a communications network that an electronic message has been received for the recipient. The intelligent gateway uses the notification message to identify a telephone number associated with the recipient. The intelligent gateway uses the identified telephone number to call the recipient and rings the recipient'"'"'s telephone using a distinctive ring to notify the recipient that an electronic message has been received for the recipient.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for:

receiving a notification message that the electronic message has been received; and

notifying the recipient of the electronic message using a distinctive ring.

2. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail (e-mail) message.

3. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the distinctive ring is a distinctive ring sequence.

4. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the distinctive ring is a distinctive ring tone.

5. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 1 wherein the distinctive ring is a visual indicator on a communication unit associated with the recipient.

6. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 1 further comprising computer executable instructions for:

calling a communication unit associated with the recipient using the distinctive ring.

7. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 6 wherein the communication unit is a telephone handset.

8. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 6 wherein the communication unit is a wireless telephone handset.

9. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 6 wherein the communication unit is a soft phone.

10. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 1 further comprising computer executable instructions for:

transferring additional information associated with the electronic message to a communication unit associated with the recipient.

11. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 10 wherein the additional information includes an address associated with a sender of the electronic message.

12. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 10 wherein the additional information includes a subject associated with the electronic message.

13. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 10 wherein the additional information is transmitted to the communication unit as voice data.

14. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 10 wherein the additional information is transmitted to a display unit associated with the communication unit.

15. A method for notifying a recipient of receipt of an electronic message for the recipient, the method comprising:

receiving the electronic message; and

notifying the recipient of the electronic message using a distinctive ring.

16. A method as defined in claim 15 wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail (e-mail) message.

17. A method as defined in claim 15 wherein the distinctive ring is a distinctive ring sequence.

18. A method as defined in claim 15 wherein the distinctive ring is a distinctive ring tone.

19. A method as defined in claim 15 wherein the distinctive ring is a visual indicator on a communication unit associated with the recipient.

20. A method as defined in claim 15 further comprising:

calling a communication unit associated with the recipient using the distinctive ring.

21. A method as defined in claim 15 further comprising:

transmitting additional information associated with the electronic message to a communication unit associated with the recipient.

22. A method as defined in claim 21 wherein the additional information is transmitted to the communication unit as voice data.

23. An intelligent gateway for notifying a recipient of receipt of an electronic message for the recipient, the intelligent gateway comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

(a) receive a notification message that the electronic message has been received, and

(b) notify the recipient of the electronic message using a distinctive ring.

24. An intelligent gateway as defined in claim 23 wherein the notification message contains an address of the recipient.

25. An intelligent gateway as defined in claim 24, further comprising:

a lookup database having one or more records wherein each record has a telephone number associated with a recipient, and

wherein the processor is further configured to;

(a) identify a telephone number associated with the recipient using the lookup database, and

(b) notify the recipient of the electronic message using a distinctive ring by calling the recipient'"'"'s telephone number and ringing a telephone associated with the recipient'"'"'s telephone number with the distinctive ring.

26. An intelligent gateway as defined in claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured to transmit additional information associated with the electronic message to the recipient.

27. An apparatus for notifying a recipient of receipt of an electronic message for the recipient, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving the electronic message; and

means for notifying the recipient of the electronic message using a distinctive ring.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 27 further comprising:

means for transmitting additional information associated with the electronic message to the recipient.

29. A system for notifying a recipient of receipt of an electronic message for the recipient, the system comprising:

means for receiving the electronic message; and

means for notifying the recipient of the electronic message using a distinctive ring.

30. Electromagnetic signals traveling on a data network, the electromagnetic signals carrying instructions for execution on a processor for:

receiving an electronic message; and

notifying a recipient of the electronic message using a distinctive ring.

31. Electromagnetic signals as defined in claim 30 further carrying instructions for execution on a processor for:

transmitting additional information associated with the electronic message to the recipient.