SYSTEM FOR INSTANT MESSAGING THE SENDER AND RECIPIENTS OF AN E-MAIL MESSAGE

• US 20150222575A1
• Filed: 04/17/2015
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Appelman, Barry, Lu, Larry L., Clemmons, Alisa, Weck, Peter
• Application Number:
  US14/690,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20150222575A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

Systems and techniques for transferring electronic data between users of a communications system include a host system structured and arranged to receive and deliver messages of various types between users of the communications system. The host system includes an instant messaging network; a mail gateway; and a configuring network in communication with both the instant messaging network and the mail gateway. The instant messaging network enables instant messaging communication between users of the communications system and has the capability to monitor whether a certain user is capable of receiving an instant message at a particular moment. The mail gateway receives and delivers e-mail messages to users of the communications system. The configuring network is dedicated to automatically configuring instant messaging communication between an intended recipient of an e-mail message and the sender of the e-mail message.

Claims

1. A communications system for transferring electronic data between users, the system including a host system structured and arranged to receive and deliver messages of various types between users of the communications system, the host system comprising:

an instant messaging network enabling instant messaging communication between users of the communications system, the instant messaging network having the capability to monitor whether a certain user is capable of receiving an instant message at a particular moment;

a mail gateway receiving and delivering e-mail messages to users of the communications system; and

a configuring network in communication with both the instant messaging network and the mail gateway, the configuring network being dedicated to automatically configure instant messaging communication between an intended recipient of an e-mail message and the sender of the e-mail message.

2. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the configuring network comprises a look-up server for associating e-mail addresses with instant messaging screen names.

3. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the configuring network sends a redirection command to the recipient based on the capability of the sender to receive an instant message.

4. The communications system of claim 3 wherein the redirection command comprises a uniform resource locator.

5. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the configuring network sends a redirection command to the recipient based on the capability of another recipient of the e-mail message to receive an instant message.

6. The communications system of claim 5 wherein the redirection command comprises a uniform resource locator.

7. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the configuring network establishes a persistent connection to the instant messaging network.

8. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the configuring network checks a control port to confirm whether the sender is capable of receiving an instant message.

9. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the configuring network determines whether an e-mail address is associated with a recognized domain.

10. The communications system of claim 9 wherein the configuring network strips recognized domains from e-mail addresses.

11. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the configuring network comprises a cache.

12. The communications system of claim 11 wherein the configuring network detects whether information associated with an e-mail message is stored in the cache.

13. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the mail gateway comprises a send mail server for delivering electronic data to users.

14. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the mail gateway comprises a read mail server for accessing electronic data.

15. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the mail gateway comprises a processing server for processing electronic data.

16. The communications system of claim 1, wherein the mail gateway is web-based.

17. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the mail gateway is online-service-provider-based.

18. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the mail gateway is instant-messaging-host-based.

19. The communications system of claim 1, wherein the instant messaging network is web-based.

20. The communications system of claim 1, wherein the instant messaging network is online-service-provider-based.