METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING A PLURALITY OF NOTIFICATIONS IN A NOTIFICATION POOL

• US 20100156631A1
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Active Internet Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Blackboard Connect Incorporated (Blackboard Incorporated)
• Inventors: ROTH, Joshua
• Granted Patent: US 8,344,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network

Abstract

A method for transmitting a plurality of notifications in a notification pool includes determining a first notification batch having the plurality of notifications, and assigning a priority weight to each of the plurality of notifications, at least two of the priority weights being different. The method further includes inserting the first notification batch into the notification pool, and transmitting the plurality of notifications in the notification pool sequentially, based on the priority weights of the plurality of notifications. A system for transmitting a plurality of notifications is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting a plurality of notifications in a notification pool, the method comprising:

determining a first notification batch having the plurality of notifications;

assigning a priority weight to each of the plurality of notifications, at least two of the priority weights being different;

inserting the first notification batch into the notification pool; and

transmitting the plurality of notifications in the notification pool sequentially, based on the priority weights of the plurality of notifications.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning the priority weight to each of the plurality of notifications is based on a notification class associated with each of the plurality of notifications.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the assigning the priority weight comprises:

assigning to each notification in a first notification class a priority weight that increases with each notification by a constant first increment; and

assigning to each notification in a second notification class a priority weight that increases with each notification by a constant second increment different than the first increment.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the first notification batch occurs at a first time, and wherein the method further comprises time stamping each notification with the first time.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

at a second time later than the first time, determining a second notification batch having a plurality of notifications;

assigning a priority weight to each of the plurality of notifications in the second notification batch, wherein a starting priority weight of the first notification of the second notification batch is not less than the lowest priority weight of any notification in the notification pool; and

inserting the second notification batch into the notification pool for transmission with the other notifications in the notification pool.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the assigning the priority weight to each of the plurality of notifications in the second notification batch comprises assigning to each notification in the second notification batch a priority weight that increases with each notification by a third increment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the size of the third increment is based on a notification class associated with each notification in the second notification batch.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

time stamping each notification in the second notification batch with the second time.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

subtracting the first time stamp from the second time stamp to obtain a time lag between the first and second notification batches, wherein the size of the third increment is based at least in part upon the time lag.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the notification class is one of an emergency class, an outreach class, an attendance class and a retry class, the retry class corresponding to a notification attempt which was previously unsuccessful.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the plurality of notifications in the notification pool sequentially comprises selecting for next transmission the notification in the notification pool with the lowest priority weight.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of notifications is at least one of an email notification, a telephone notification, a cellular phone notification, a facsimile notification, a text message and a pager notification.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the first notification batch comprises preparing the first notification batch.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the first notification batch comprises receiving the first notification batch.

15. A system for transmitting a plurality of notifications, the system comprising a processor configured to:

determine a first notification batch having the plurality of notifications;

assign a priority weight to each of the plurality of notifications, at least two of the priority weights being different;

insert the first notification batch into the notification pool; and

transmit the plurality of notifications in the notification pool sequentially, by selecting for next transmission the notification in the notification pool with the lowest priority weight.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to assign the priority weight to each of the plurality of notifications based on a notification class associated with each of the plurality of notifications.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to assign the priority weight by:

assigning to each notification in a first notification class a priority weight that increases with each notification by a constant first increment; and

assigning to each notification in a second notification class a priority weight that increases with each notification by a constant second increment different than the first increment.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to determine the first notification batch at a first time, and wherein the processor is further configured to time stamp each notification with the first time.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to:

at a second time later than the first time, determine a second notification batch having a plurality of notifications;

assign a priority weight to each of the plurality of notifications in the second notification batch, wherein a starting priority weight of the first notification of the second notification batch is not less than the lowest priority weight of any notification in the notification pool; and

insert the second notification batch into the notification pool for transmission with the other notifications in the notification pool.

20. A machine-readable medium encoded with instructions for transmitting a plurality of notifications, the instructions comprising code for:

determining a first notification batch having the plurality of notifications;

assigning a priority weight to each of the plurality of notifications, at least two of the priority weights being different;

inserting the first notification batch into the notification pool; and

transmitting the plurality of notifications in the notification pool sequentially, by selecting for next transmission the notification in the notification pool with the lowest priority weight.

21. A method for transmitting a set of notifications in a notification pool, the method comprising:

determining a first notification batch having at least one notification;

assigning a priority weight to each of the notifications in the first notification batch;

inserting the first notification batch into the notification pool; and

transmitting the notifications in the notification pool sequentially, based on the priority weights of the notifications.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first notification batch comprises a plurality of notifications, and wherein at least two of the priority weights assigned to each of the notifications in the first notification batch are different.