Methods, systems, and computer program products for multi-channel communications using universal address book server

• US 20070058658A1
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ruckart, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,738,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/444
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method of providing communications can include forwarding a message from a universal address book server via a plurality of communications channels associated with an addressee of the message based on a priority of the message received at the universal address book server. Related systems and computer program products are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of providing communications comprising:

forwarding a message from a universal address book server via a plurality of communications channels associated with an addressee of the message based on a priority of the message.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein forwarding comprises transmitting respective separate messages via the plurality of communications channels.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein transmitting further comprises:

transmitting the respective separate messages via the plurality of communications channels for substantially simultaneous delivery to a plurality of user devices associated therewith.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein transmitting further comprises:

transmitting a first one of the respective separate messages via a respective one of the plurality of communications channels that is designated as a primary communications channel;

transmitting respective remaining separate messages via remaining ones of the plurality of communications channels if a response to the first one of the respective separate messages is not received by the universal address book server before expiration of a time interval; and

avoiding transmitting the respective remaining separate messages via the remaining ones of the plurality of communications channels if the response is received by the universal address book server before expiration of a time interval.

5. A method according to claim 2 wherein transmitting further comprises:

transmitting each of the respective separate messages to respective ones of the plurality of communications channels after expiration of a respective time interval unless a response to a previously transmitted separate message is received by the universal address book server before expiration of the respective time interval for the previously transmitted separate message.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the respective time intervals associated with the respective separate messages comprise different time intervals.

7. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

transmitting an alert upon receiving a response to any of the respective separate messages.

8. A method according to claim 2 wherein transmitting further comprises:

transmitting the respective separate messages via the plurality of communications channels to respective different addressee user devices.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of communications channels comprise an e-mail address, a mobile telephone number, a facsimile number, a home telephone number, a work telephone number, a voice mail telephone number, a messenger address, Internet Protocol (EP) address, and/or a pager telephone number.

10. A universal address book system comprising:

a universal address book server configured to forward a message via a plurality of communications channels associated with an addressee of the message based on a priority of the message.

11. A system according to claim 10 wherein the universal address book server is further configured to transmit respective separate messages via the plurality of communications channels.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein the universal address book server is further configured to transmit a first one of the respective separate messages via a respective one of the plurality of communications channels that is designated as a primary communications channel and to transmit respective remaining separate messages via remaining ones of the plurality of communications channels if a response to the first one of the respective separate messages is not received by the universal address book server before expiration of a time interval and configured to avoid transmitting the respective remaining separate messages via the remaining ones of the plurality of communications channels if the response is received by the universal address book server before expiration of the time interval.

13. A system according to claim 11 wherein the universal address book server is further configured to transmit each of the respective separate messages via respective ones of the plurality of communications channels after expiration of a respective time interval unless a response to a previously transmitted separate message is received by the universal address book server before expiration of the respective time interval for the previously transmitted separate message.

14. A system according to claim 11 wherein the universal address book server further comprises:

a plurality of entries associated with addressees to whom the message may be forwarded;

wherein each of the plurality of communication channels is associated with a respective one of the plurality of entries; and

a plurality of priority entries each associated with a respective one of the plurality of communication channels to indicate an order in which the plurality of communication channels is to be used to forward the message.

15. A system according to claim 13 further comprising:

a plurality of time intervals each associated with a respective one of the plurality of communication channels.

16. A system according to claim 11 wherein the universal address book server is further configured to transmit an alert upon receiving a response to any of the respective separate messages.

17. A computer program product for providing communications comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program product comprising:

computer readable program code configured to forward a message from a universal address book server via a plurality of communications channels associated with an addressee of the message based on a priority of the message.

18. A computer program product according to claim 17 wherein the computer readable program code configured to forward a message comprises computer readable program code configured to transmit respective separate messages via the plurality of communications channels.

19. A computer program product according to claim 18 wherein the computer readable program code configured to transmit further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to transmit a first one of the respective separate messages via a respective one of the plurality of communications channels that is designated as a primary communications channel;

computer readable program code configured to transmit respective remaining separate messages via remaining ones of the plurality of communications channels if a response to the first one of the respective separate messages is not received by the universal address book server before expiration of a time interval; and

computer readable program code configured to avoid transmitting the respective remaining separate messages via the remaining ones of the plurality of communications channels if the response is received by the universal address book server before expiration of the time interval.

20. A computer program product according to claim 18 wherein the computer readable program code configured to transmit further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to transmit each of the respective separate messages via respective ones of the plurality of communications channels after expiration of a respective time interval unless a response to a previously transmitted separate message is received by the universal address book server before expiration of the respective time interval for the previously transmitted separate message.