Arrangement for common-format notification delivery messages based on notification device type in an IP-based notification architecture

• US 6,671,355 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2000
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lockwood, Robert James, Joshi, Satish, Dodrill, Lewis Dean, Spielman, Brenda Gates, Parasu, Nagendran
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, JOSEPH T
• Application Number:
  US09/629,052
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88-2-, 379/88.17, 379/93.24, 370/356, 709/230
• 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: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A notification architecture utilizes multiple processes configured for managing notification operations based on reception of SMTP-based messages within IMAP based message stores. The notification architecture includes a notification process, configured for receiving notification messages for respective subscribers from messaging sources according to a prescribed open protocol such as Internet Protocol. The notification process accesses subscriber profile information from an open protocol-based subscriber directory based on the received notification messages. The notification process determines, for each received notification message, the subscriber'"'"'s notification preference based on the accessed profile information, and selectively outputs a notification delivery message according to a prescribed open protocol to at least one notification delivery process within the notification architecture based on the subscriber'"'"'s notification preference. The notification process may have access via the prescribed open protocol to multiple notification delivery processes, each configured for outputting a notification to a subscriber'"'"'s notification device according to a corresponding device protocol. Hence, subscribers may be notified of events according to their respective preferences, including subscriber device type, or time of notification. The notification process also generates the notification delivery message using selected portions of the notification information and subscriber information based on the notification device type, providing a common format for device specific notification messages. Hence, each notification delivery process can receive device specific notification messages according to a common format from the notification process or another external process.

Claims

1. A method in a server, the method comprising:

obtaining a notification message having been sent from a notification source according to a first open network protocol, the notification message specifying at least one notification recipient and notification information describing a first message having triggered the notification source to send the notification message;

accessing a subscriber directory, according to a second open network protocol, for subscriber attribute information specifying subscriber notification preference for the specified at least one notification recipient;

generating a notification delivery message that includes (1) a message information part having at least a selected portion of the notification information based on a notification device type specified by the subscriber notification preference, and (2) at least one subscriber information part that specifies attributes for notifying the corresponding at least one notification recipient based on the notification device type; and

outputting, according to a third open network protocol, the notification delivery message to a selected corresponding one of a plurality of notification delivery processes for delivery of the selected portion of the notification information according to a corresponding device protocol of the notification device type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining step includes retrieving the notification message from an Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)-based mailbox configured for receiving e-mail messages as notification messages for notification subscribers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the accessing step includes accessing the subscriber directory according to Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) as the second open network protocol for the subscriber attribute information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the accessing step includes:

first accessing the subscriber directory according to LDAP protocol for determining whether the specified at least one notification recipient is a notification subscriber; and

second accessing the subscriber directory according to LDAP protocol for the subscriber notification preference based on determining that the specified at least one notification recipient is a notification subscriber.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the retrieving step includes retrieving the notification message according to Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) protocol as the first open network protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step includes selectively attaching to the notification delivery message a MIME-encoded data structure obtained from the notification information based on the notification device configured for outputting the MIME-encoded data structure for the notification recipient.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selectively attaching step includes attaching the MIME-encoded data structure, carrying encoded audio data, based on the notification device configured for playing the encoded audio data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the selectively attaching step includes attaching the MIME-encoded data structure, carrying encoded image data, based on the notification device configured for displaying the image data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step includes selecting, for the message information part, first key value pairs from the notification information that specify relevant notification information relevant to the notification device type.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the generating step further includes selecting, for the at least one subscriber information part, second key value pairs based on the notification information and the subscriber notification preference that specify relevant subscriber information relevant to the notification device type.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step includes outputting the notification delivery message according to SMTP protocol as the third open network protocol.

45. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step includes adding within the notification delivery message an e-mail header that specifies, as a destination for the notification delivery message, a destination address of the selected corresponding one of the plurality of notification delivery processes.

12. A server comprising:

means for obtaining a notification message having been sent from a notification source according to a first open network protocol, the notification message specifying at least one notification recipient and notification information describing a first message having triggered the notification source to send the notification message;

means for accessing a subscriber directory, according to a second open network protocol, for subscriber attribute information specifying subscriber notification preference for the specified at least one notification recipient;

means for generating a notification delivery message that includes (1) a message information part having at least a selected portion of the notification information based on a notification device type specified by the subscriber notification preference, and (2) at least one subscriber information part that specifies attributes for notifying the corresponding at least one notification recipient based on the notification device type; and

means for outputting, according to a third open network protocol, the notification delivery message to a selected corresponding one of a plurality of notification delivery processes for delivery of the selected portion of the notification information according to a corresponding device protocol of the notification device type.

13. The server of claim 12, wherein the obtaining means retrieves the notification message from an Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)-based mailbox configured for receiving e-mail messages as notification messages for notification subscribers.

14. The server of claim 13, wherein the accessing means accesses the subscriber directory according to Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) as the second open network protocol for the subscriber attribute information.

15. The server of claim 14, wherein the accessing means is configured for:

first accessing the subscriber directory according to LDAP protocol for determining whether the specified at least one notification recipient is a notification subscriber; and

second accessing the subscriber directory according to LDAP protocol for the subscriber notification preference based on determining that the specified at least one notification recipient is a notification subscriber.

16. The server of claim 15, wherein the obtaining means retrieves the notification message according to Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) protocol as the first open network protocol.

17. The server of claim 12, wherein the generating means selective attaches to the notification delivery message a MIME-encoded data structure obtained from the notification information based on the notification device configured for outputting the MIME-encoded data structure for the notification recipient.

18. The server of claim 17, wherein the generating means attaches the MIME-encoded data structure, carrying encoded audio data, based on the notification device configured for playing the encoded audio data.

19. The server of claim 17, wherein the generating means attaches the MIME-encoded data structure, carrying encoded image data, based on the notification device configured for displaying the image data.

20. The server of claim 12, wherein the generating means is configured for selecting, for the message information part, first key value pairs from the notification information that specify relevant notification information relevant to the notification device type.

21. The server of claim 20, wherein the generating means further is configured for selecting, for the at least one subscriber information part, second key value pairs based on the notification information and the subscriber notification preference that specify relevant subscriber information relevant to the notification device type.

22. The server of claim 12, wherein the outputting means is configured for outputting the notification delivery message according to SMTP protocol as the third open network protocol.

46. The server of claim 12, wherein the generating means is configured for adding within the notification delivery message an e-mail header that specifies, as a destination for the notification delivery message, a destination address of the selected corresponding one of the plurality of notification delivery processes.

23. A notification system comprising:

a notification process configured for;

(1) obtaining a notification message having been sent from a notification source according to a first open network protocol, the notification message specifying at least one notification recipient and notification information describing a first message having triggered the notification source to send the notification message;

(2) accessing a subscriber directory, according to a second open network protocol, for subscriber attribute information specifying subscriber notification preference for the specified at least one notification recipient;

(3) generating a notification delivery message that includes (1) a message information part having at least a selected portion of the notification information based on a notification device type specified by the subscriber notification preference, and (2) at least one subscriber information part that specifies attributes for notifying the corresponding at least one notification recipient based on the notification device type; and

(4) outputting, according to a third open network protocol, the notification delivery message for delivery of the selected portion of the notification information according to a corresponding device protocol of the notification device type; and

a plurality of notification delivery processes, each configured for delivering a notification to a subscriber device according to the corresponding device protocol based on a corresponding received notification delivery message.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the notification process is configured for obtaining the notification message from an SMTP-based mailbox configured for receiving e-mail messages as notification messages for notification subscribers.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the notification process is configured for obtaining the notification message from the SMTP-based mailbox according to Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) protocol as the first open network protocol.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the notification process is configured for accessing the subscriber directory according to LDAP protocol as the second open network protocol.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the notification process is configured for outputting the at least one notification delivery message according to SMTP protocol as the third open network protocol.

28. The system of claim 23, further comprising a primary SMTP-based mailbox for receiving the notification message from the notification source, the notification process configured for periodically obtaining the notification message according to Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) protocol.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising secondary SMTP-based mailboxes configured for receiving the notification delivery messages for the respective notification delivery processes, each notification delivery process accessing its corresponding secondary SMTP-based mailbox for the corresponding notification delivery message.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the notification process selects at least one of the notification delivery processes for receipt of the corresponding at least one notification delivery message based on the notification preference information.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the notification process is configured for selectively attaching to the notification delivery message a MIME encoded data structure obtained from the notification information based on the notification device configured for outputting the MIME encoded data structure for the notification recipient.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the notification process is configured for selecting, for the message information part, first key value pairs from the notification information that specify relevant notification information relevant to the notification device type.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the notification process is configured for selecting, for the at least one subscriber information part, second key value pairs based on the notification information and the subscriber notification preference that specify relevant subscriber information relevant to the notification device type.

47. The system of claim 23, wherein the notification process is configured for adding within the notification delivery message an e-mail header that specifies, as a destination for the notification delivery message, a destination address of the selected corresponding one of the plurality of notification delivery processes.

34. A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for notifying a subscriber, the sequences of instructions including instructions for performing the steps of:

obtaining a notification message having been sent from a notification source according to a first open network protocol, the notification message specifying at least one notification recipient and notification information describing a first message having triggered the notification source to send the notification message;

accessing a subscriber directory, according to a second open network protocol, for subscriber attribute information specifying subscriber notification preference for the specified at least one notification recipient;

generating a notification delivery message that includes (1) a message information part having at least a selected portion of the notification information based on a notification device type specified by the subscriber notification preference, and (2) at least one subscriber information part that specifies attributes for notifying the corresponding at least one notification recipient based on the notification device type; and

outputting, according to a third open network protocol, the notification delivery message to a selected corresponding one of a plurality of notification delivery processes for delivery of the selected portion of the notification information according to a corresponding device protocol of the notification device type.

35. The medium of claim 34, wherein the obtaining step includes retrieving the notification message from an Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)-based mailbox configured for receiving e-mail messages as notification messages for notification subscribers.

36. The medium of claim 35, wherein the accessing step includes accessing the subscriber directory according to Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) as the second open network protocol for the subscriber attribute information.

37. The medium of claim 35, wherein the accessing step includes:

first accessing the subscriber directory according to LDAP protocol for determining whether the specified at least one notification recipient is a notification subscriber; and

second accessing the subscriber directory according to LDAP protocol for the subscriber notification preference based on determining that the specified at least one notification recipient is a notification subscriber.

38. The medium of claim 37, wherein the retrieving step includes retrieving the notification message according to Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) protocol as the first open network protocol.

39. The medium of claim 34, wherein the generating step includes selectively attaching to the notification delivery message a MIME-encoded data structure obtained from the notification information based on the notification device configured for outputting the MIME-encoded data structure for the notification recipient.

40. The medium of claim 39, wherein the selectively attaching step includes attaching the MIME-encoded data structure, carrying encoded audio data, based on the notification device configured for playing the encoded audio data.

41. The medium of claim 39, wherein the selectively attaching step includes attaching the MIME-encoded data structure, carrying encoded image data, based on the notification device configured for displaying the image data.

42. The medium of claim 34, wherein the generating step includes selecting, for the message information part, first key value pairs from the notification information that specify relevant notification information relevant to the notification device type.

43. The medium of claim 42, wherein the generating step further includes selecting, for the at least one subscriber information part, second key value pairs based on the notification information and the subscriber notification preference that specify relevant subscriber information relevant to the notification device type.

44. The medium of claim 34, wherein the generating step includes outputting the notification delivery message according to SMTP protocol as the third open network protocol.

48. The medium of claim 34, wherein the generating step includes adding within the notification delivery message an e-mail header that specifies, as a destination for the notification delivery message, a destination address of the selected corresponding one of the plurality of notification delivery processes.