Registering actionable alerts

• US 20070293275A1
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FMR LLC
• Original Assignee: FMR Corporation (FMR LLC)
• Inventors: Ferra, Joseph G., Kalinichenko, Boris Olegovich
• Granted Patent: US 8,532,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Described are methods and systems, including computer program products, for registering, configuring, and invoking actionable alerts. For example, an alert action is determined based on an alert. The alert is sent to a device based on an alert logic and the alert action is sent to the device based on a device capability. A received communication is identified as a response from the first device based on the alert requesting performance of the alert action.

Claims

1. A method of registering an alert comprising:

receiving, via a network server, identifier information about a first device from a second device representing a request to register the first device;

storing the identifier information in a storage device associated with transmitting alerts;

sending a registration message based on the identifier information to the first device;

receiving a message from the first device in response to the registration message;

verifying the message from the first device is associated with the registration message; and

modifying, based on the message from the first device, the storage device to indicate a capability of the first device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the capability of the first device based on the message from the first device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining comprises reading header information associated with the message from the first device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the registration message activates a software application on the first device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device and the second device are the same device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device and the second device are different devices.

7. The method of claim 6 where the first device is a wireless device and the second device is a personal computer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifier information comprises at least one of:

a telephone number, an email address, a logical identifier, a physical identifier, a Media Access Control (“

MAC”

) address, or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the registration message comprises a Short Message Service (“

SMS”

) message, a Wireless Access Protocol (“

WAP”

) message, or both.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the registration message comprises a digitized voice message.

11. A means for registering an alert comprising:

means for receiving, via a network server, identifier information about a first device from a second device representing a request to register the first device;

means for storing the identifier information in a storage device associated with transmitting alerts;

means for sending a registration message based on the identifier information to the first device;

means for receiving a message from the first device in response to the registration message;

means for verifying the message from the first device is associated with the registration message; and

means for modifying, based on the message from the first device, the storage device to indicate a capability of the first device.

12. A system for registering an alert comprising:

a network server configured to receive identifier information about a first device from a second device representing a request to register the first device;

a storage device associated with transmitting alerts, configured to store the identifier information;

an alert distribution engine configured to send a registration message, based on the identifier information, to the first device;

a device recognition module configured to receive a message sent from the first device in response to the registration message; and

a device registration confirmation module configured to verify that the message from the first device is associated with the registration message; and

to modify, based on the message from the first device, the storage device to indicate a capability of the first device.

13. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for registering an alert, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause data processing apparatus to:

receive, via a network server, identifier information about a first device from a second device representing a request to register the first device;

store the identifier information in a storage device associated with transmitting alerts;

send a registration message based on the identifier information to the first device;

receive a message from the first device in response to the registration message;

verify the message from the first device is associated with the registration message; and

modify, based on the message from the first device, the storage device to indicate a capability of the first device.