System and method for a messaging assistant

• US 20090198777A1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Emerson, David E., LaFreniere, Gary W., Rondeau, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,240,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]

Abstract

A system and method for utilizing a message assistant. A contact list is updated by retrieving one or more contact lists. Preferences are received for communicating with contacts on the contact list. A message is received to be sent to a group listed in the contact list including one or more contacts at a time specified by a user. The message is sent to the group at the time specified by the user based on the preferences.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing a message assistant, the method comprising:

updating a contact list by retrieving one or more contact lists;

receiving preferences for communicating with contacts on the contact list;

receiving a message to be sent to a group listed in the contact list including one or more contacts at a time specified by a user; and

sending the message to the group at the time specified by the user based on the preferences.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

accessing the messaging assistant through a network connection, wherein the preferences and the message are received by a messaging assistant through a network connection, and wherein the message is any of a text message, chat message, and email message.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the message is converted from text to voice and delivered to at least one of the one or more contacts.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message is converted to a format deliverable to each of the one or more users of the group based on the preferences.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein updating comprises:

synchronizing the contact list the one or more contact lists at pre-defined intervals.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the updating further comprises:

receiving user input to configure the contact list to synchronize with the one or more contact lists, wherein the user input is a selection to synchronize immediately or a time interval.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the preferences specify communication options for each of the one or more users.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the preferences indicate a priority for attempting to resend the message in the event a delivery method is unsuccessful.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the updating further comprises:

extracting the one or more contact lists from one or more servers to form the contact list, wherein the contact list is a master contact lists, and wherein redundant contacts are not included and groups of contacts are combined based on a group name.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user to specify the preferences or utilize a default setting for delivering the message.

11. A messaging assistant system, said system comprising:

a scheduler configured to receive preferences for communicating with one or more contacts and a time for sending a message;

a message coordinator configured to receive the message as set by a user to be sent to the one or more contacts; and

a contact list configured to store and update the one or more contacts from one or more contact lists retrieved from externally accessible websites and servers.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the user access the messaging assistant through a network connection using a communications device, wherein the message coordinator sends the message to the one or more contacts at the time, and wherein the one or more contacts are a group.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the messaging assistant further comprises:

a user interface accessible through a network connection configured to allow the user to enter the message and update the preferences for the contact list.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the message coordinator resends the message based on a priority indicated in the preferences in response to determining the message was undeliverable.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the messaging assistant system is integrated as part of a server and accessible by a communications device through a wire line or wireless network.

16. A messaging assistant comprising:

a processor for executing a set of instructions; and

a memory for storing the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions are configured to update a contact list from one or more contact lists;

receive preferences for communicating with individuals on the contact list;

receive a message to be sent to a group in the contact list including one or more users at a time specified by a user; and

send the message to the group at the time based on the preferences.

17. The messaging assistant according to claim 16, wherein the set of instructions synchronizes the contact list with the one or more contact lists at pre-defined intervals by extracting the one or more contact lists from one or more servers and integrating the one or more contact lists with the contact list.

18. The messaging assistant according to claim 16, wherein redundant contacts are removed from the contact list and groups of contacts are combined based on a group name.

19. The messaging assistant according to claim 16, wherein the set of instructions resends the message based on a priority indicated in the preferences in response to determining the message was undeliverable.

20. The messaging assistant according to claim 16, wherein the set of instructions automatically extracts the one or more contact lists for integration with the contact list at a specified time interval or based on changes made to the one or more contact lists as determined by the messaging assistant by polling one or more servers storing the one or more contact lists.