Cross-platform message notification

• US 20070121856A1
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Verbil, John, Cerami, Rich, Alperin, Jordan
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.120
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained

Abstract

Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed to provide notification of receipt of a communication across multiple platforms of potential diverse types. Cross-platform message notification can comprise receiving a request to initiate a communication from an initiating end device. The request may identify a single intended recipient device. A plurality of possible recipient devices can be identified for the request to initiate a communication based on user profile information from a user of the initiating end device. The request to initiate a communication can be forwarded to each of the plurality of possible recipient devices at substantially a same time. The initiating end device can be connected to one of the plurality of possible recipient devices based on a response from at least one of the possible recipient devices.

Claims

1. A method of providing cross-platform message notification, the method comprising:

receiving a request to initiate a communication from an initiating end device, the request identifying a single intended recipient device;

determining a plurality of possible recipient devices for the request to initiate a communication based on user profile information from a user of the initiating end device;

forwarding the request to initiate a communication to each of the plurality of possible recipient devices at substantially a same time; and

connecting the initiating end device to one of the plurality of possible recipient devices based on a response from at least one of the possible recipient devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of possible recipient end devices includes the intended recipient device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request to initiate a communication comprises receiving a phone call to a single phone number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request to initiate a communication comprises receiving a message to a single address.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the message comprises an email message.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the message comprises an Instant Message (IM).

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining from the user profile information from the user of the initiating end device whether cross-platform message notification is enabled prior to determining a plurality of possible recipient devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a plurality of possible recipient devices comprises determining an identifier for each of the plurality of possible recipient devices stored in the user profile information from the user of the initiating end device and associated with the intended recipient device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the identifier comprises a phone number.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the identifier comprises an email address.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the identifier comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

12. A system for providing cross-platform message notification, the system comprising:

a communications bus;

a user profile database communicatively coupled with the communications bus and adapted to maintain user profile information for a plurality of users;

a plurality of end devices of different types, each end device communicatively coupled with the communications bus and adapted to send and receive common language messages via the communications bus, to translate common language messages received from the communications bus to a format specific to the end device based on the type, and to store user profile information in the user profile database;

one or more managers, each manager communicatively coupled with the communications bus, wherein each manager is adapted to receive via the communications bus a request to initiate a communication from an initiating end device of the plurality of end devices, the request identifying a single intended recipient device of the plurality of end devices, determine a plurality of possible recipient devices for the request to initiate a communication from the plurality of end devices based on user profile information stored in the user profile database by a user of the intended recipient device, forward the request to initiate a communication to each of the plurality of possible recipient devices at substantially a same time, and connect the initiating end device to one of the plurality of possible recipient devices based on a response from at least one of the possible recipient devices.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of possible recipient end devices includes the intended recipient device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein receiving a request to initiate a communication comprises receiving a phone call to a single phone number.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein receiving a request to initiate a communication comprises receiving a message to a single address.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the message comprises an email message.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the message comprises an Instant Message (IM).

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the identifier comprises a phone number.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the identifier comprises an email address.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the identifier comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

21. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon a series of instruction for which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform cross-platform message notification by:

receiving a request to initiate a communication from an initiating end device, the request identifying a single intended recipient device;

determining a plurality of possible recipient devices for the request to initiate a communication based on user profile information from a user of the initiating end device;

forwarding the request to initiate a communication to each of the plurality of possible recipient devices at substantially a same time; and

connecting the initiating end device to one of the plurality of possible recipient devices based on a response from at least one of the possible recipient devices.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the plurality of possible recipient end devices includes the intended recipient device.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein receiving a request to initiate a communication comprises receiving a phone call to a single phone number.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein receiving a request to initiate a communication comprises receiving a message to a single address.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the message comprises an email message.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the message comprises an Instant Message (IM).

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising determining from the user profile information from the user of the initiating end device whether cross-platform message notification is enabled prior to determining a plurality of possible recipient devices.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein determining a plurality of possible recipient devices comprises determining an identifier for each of the plurality of possible recipient devices stored in the user profile information from the user of the initiating end device and associated with the intended recipient device.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the identifier comprises a phone number.

30. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the identifier comprises an email address.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the identifier comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address.