ELECTRONIC MESSAGING USING REPLY TELEPHONE NUMBERS

• US 20140344384A1
• Filed: 07/31/2014
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Odell, James A., Appelman, Barry, Wick, Andrew L., Keister, Alan, Bergstrom, Raine, Yin, Xiaoyan, McNally, Barbara, Hullfish, Keith C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,894,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks

Abstract

A graphical user interface on a display device of a computer enables communications using a computer service. The graphical user interface includes a list of potential message recipients selected by a user as significant to the user. The graphical user interface also includes a mobile device identifier associated with one or more of the listed potential message recipients and a user account identifier associated with one or more of the listed potential message recipients. At least one of the listed potential recipients includes a mobile device identifier as the only available conduit for data delivery to the potential message recipient using the computer service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first type of electronic message addressed to a user;

identifying a reply telephone number to facilitate receiving one or more replies to the first type of electronic message from the user;

preparing, using at least one processor, a second type of electronic message based on content of the first type of electronic message; and

sending the second type of electronic message and the identified reply telephone number to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a message session information entry associated with the first type of electronic message.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, from the user, a reply electronic message addressed to the reply telephone number; and

associating the reply electronic message with the message session information entry.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

selecting the reply telephone number from a pool of reply telephone numbers; and

assigning the reply telephone number to the message session information entry.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the reply telephone number comprises a temporary reply telephone number.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the reply telephone number comprises a short code.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a set of computing devices at which the user is active;

identifying a mobile device from the identified set of computing devices; and

determining that the mobile device is available to receive the second type of electronic message.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending an electronic message to each computing device in the set of computing devices, wherein the electronic message comprises content of the first type of electronic message.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining whether each computing device in the set of computing devices is available to receive the electronic message that comprises content of the first type of electronic message.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a reply electronic message directed to a sender of the first type of electronic message, the reply electronic message having a reply source indicator that is different from an intended destination indicator identified by the sender.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending a communication based on the reply electronic message, the communication having a surrogate reply source indicator that is the same as the intended destination indicator.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending a communication based on the reply electronic message, the communication having a surrogate reply source indicator that is the same as the reply source indicator.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending a communication based on the reply electronic message, the communication having a surrogate reply source indicator that comprises the intended destination indicator and the reply source indicator.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the intended destination indicator comprises a username associated with the user and the reply source indicator comprises a mobile telephone number associated with a mobile device of the user.

15. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

receive a first type of electronic message addressed to a user;

identify a reply telephone number to facilitate receiving one or more replies to the first type of electronic message from the user;

prepare a second type of electronic message based on content of the first type of electronic message; and

send the second type of electronic message and the identified reply telephone number to the user.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

identify a mobile device at which the user is active; and

determine that the mobile device is available to receive the second type of electronic message.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine that the user was active most recently at the mobile device.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine that the user is signed in to a communications system through the mobile device.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive an indication of whether to hide reply source indicators for reply electronic messages sent by the user; and

associate the indication of whether to hide reply source indicators with an account of the user.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive, from the user, a reply electronic message directed to a sender of the first type of electronic message;

prepare an electronic message based on content of the reply electronic message, the electronic message having a reply source indicator selected based on the indication of whether to hide reply source indicators; and

send the electronic message to the sender.