System and method for providing notification of a received electronic mail message

• US 6,335,963 B1
• Filed: 12/01/1997
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Bosco, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US08/982,313
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01, 379/88.05, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.15, 379/88.6, 379/88.22, 379/100.08, 340/825, 340/825.25, 455/412, 455/414, 709/206
• US Class Current: 379/88.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message

Abstract

An electronic mail system provides a user with notification of a received e-mail message without requiring the user to call into their e-mail service provider. A user registers with an e-mail service to be notified of a received e-mail message, and the user is then notified of the received e-mail message by the desired system, such as telephone, voice mail, or a pager.

Claims

1. A method of alerting an end user of a received mail message, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic mail message for the end user;

extracting information associated with the end user from the electronic mail message to identify the end user;

identifying a preferred communication modality for alerting the end user of the received electronic mail message based on the extracted information, the preferred communication modality being selected by the end user; and

providing an alert to the end user of the received electronic mail message through the identified communication modality.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying step includes the substep of:

selecting the communication modality from at least one of a telephone, a voice mail system, and a pager.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the end user receiving the electronic mail message requires an alert; and

refraining from alerting the end user of the message if the end user did not request to be alerted.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining extracting step includes the substeps of

extracting the electronic mail address of the end user from the received electronic mail message;

and

checking a database using the extracted address to decide whether the end user requires an alert.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

generating a unique identifier from the database if the end user requires an alert; and

ascertaining the identified communication modality based on the unique identifier.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the providing step includes the substep of

sending a voice message to the end user indicating that an electronic mail message has been received if the identified communication modality is voice mail.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the providing step includes the substeps of

converting the text of the received electronic mail message to a voice mail message if the identified communication modality involves voice mail;

and

sending the voice message to the end user.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein the providing step includes the substep of

sending a page message to the end user indicating that an electronic mail message has been received if the identified communication modality includes a pager.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the sending step includes the substep of

providing the page message with at least part of the text of the received electronic mail message for display.

10. A method of notifying an end user of a received mail message, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic mail message for the end user;

extracting information associated with the end user from the electronic mail message to identify the end user;

identifying a communication system for notifying the end user of the received electronic mail message based on the extracted information, wherein the communication system is selected from at least one of a telephone, a voice mail system, and a pager; and

notifying the end user of the received electronic mail message, if the identified communication system includes a pager, by sending a page message with a predetermined number indicating that an electronic mail message has been received to the end user.

11. A method of notifying an end user of a received mail message, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic mail message for the end user;

extracting information associated with the end user from the electronic mail message to identify the end user;

identifying a communication system for notifying the end user of the received electronic mail message based on the extracted information, wherein the communication system is selected from at least one of a telephone, a voice mail system, and a pager; and

notifying the end user of the received electronic mail message through a stutter tone at a telephone unit of the end user to indicate that an electronic mail message has been received if the identified communication system includes a telephone.

12. A method of notifying an end user of a received mail message, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic mail message for the end user;

extracting information associated with the end user from the electronic mail message to identify the end user;

identifying a communication system for notifying the end user of the received electronic mail message based on the extracted information, wherein the communication system is selected from at least one of a telephone, a voice mail system, and a pager; and

notifying the end user of the received electronic mail message through providing a stutter tone at a telephone unit of the end user and sending at least part of the text of the received electronic mail message for display on a telephone unit of the end user to indicate that an electronic mail message has been received if the identified communication system includes a telephone.