Methods and systems to manage and track the states of electronic media

• US 6,871,216 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MetricStream, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zaplet, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Graham, Evans, Steven Richard, Axe, Brian, Hanson, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US10/244,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709204-205, 709/206, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Method and systems are described which can be used to track and manage the states of electronic media in a communications network. The electronic medium can be restored, archived, and used to create new electronic media. Moreover, the electronic medium can be superseded and deleted. Additionally, notification processes can be used to prioritize and emphasize certain portions of the electronic medium. Access to the electronic medium may also be blocked or limited to certain recipients of the medium.

Claims

1. A method of automatically communicating a notification in response to an interaction with a dynamically updated electronic medium, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

receiving a configuration of business logic of an electronic medium, wherein the electronic medium is transportable by electronic mail to one or more participants;

receiving user information identifying one or more participants for receiving notifications relating to changes in the electronic medium;

sending the electronic medium to one or more participants by electronic mail;

receiving input from one of at least one participant and an external source, wherein the input represents one or more changes to the electronic medium;

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for the electronic medium in response to the input from one of at least one participant and an external source;

receiving a reason for notification from the business logic based on the input; and

sending a notification to the participants identified in the user information in response to the occurrence of the dynamic update and retrieval of the content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is one of XML and HTML.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending a notification further comprises rendering a portion of the content to be different from other portions of the content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending the notification further comprises sending the notification to selected ones of a plurality of participants.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sending the notification further comprises setting a flag indicating an occurrence of the notification.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sending the notification further comprises sending the notification to at least one participant configured with one of a client, an instant messenger, and electronic mail.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sending the notification further comprises providing the reason for the notification in the notification.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sending the notification further comprises defining a priority for the notification.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sending of the notification further comprises determining a type of notification required by at least one participant receiving the notification.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of determining the type of notification further comprises one of sending a link to the electronic medium, sending an updated version of the electronic medium, and polling to indicate the sending of the notification.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving information identifying a reason for the notification as part of an electronic medium authoring process that includes the step of receiving the configuration of business logic.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

setting a flag that is associated with the electronic medium and that specifies that a notification is present;

receiving a poll from one or more of the participants;

providing the notification in response to the poll when the flag is set.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a notification preference associated with a selected one of the participants;

determining whether the input satisfies the notification preference; and

sending the notification to the selected one of the participants only when the input satisfies the notification preference.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a notification preference associated with a selected one of the participants, wherein the notification preference specifies receiving only important events;

determining whether the input represents an important event; and

sending the notification to the selected one of the participants only when the input represents an important event.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a notification preference associated with a selected one of the participants, wherein the notification preference includes a time interval value and specifies receiving notifications only according to the time interval;

determining whether the selected participant has viewed the electronic medium since a last notification was sent; and

sending the notification to the selected one of the participants only when the selected participant has viewed the electronic medium since a last notification was sent.

16. A computer-readable medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions for automatically communicating a notification in response to an interaction with a dynamically updated electronic medium, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving a configuration of business logic of an electronic medium, wherein the electronic medium is transportable by electronic mail to one or more participants;

receiving user information identifying one or more participants for receiving notifications relating to changes in the electronic medium;

sending the electronic medium to one or more participants by electronic mail;

receiving input from one of at least one participant and an external source, wherein the input represents one or more changes to the electronic medium;

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for the electronic medium in response to the input from one of at least one participant and an external source;

receiving a reason for notification from the business logic based on the input; and

sending a notification to the participants identified in the user information in response to the occurrence of the dynamic update and retrieval of the content.

17. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the content is one of XML and HTML.

18. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of sending a notification further comprises rendering a portion of the content to be different from other portions of the content.

19. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of sending the notification further comprises sending the notification to selected ones of a plurality of participants.

20. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of sending the notification further comprises setting a flag indicating an occurrence of the notification.

21. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of sending the notification further comprises sending the notification to at least one participant configured with one of a client, an instant messenger, and electronic mail.

22. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of sending the notification further comprises providing the reason for the notification in the notification.

23. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of sending the notification further comprises defining a priority for the notification.

24. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of sending of the notification further comprises determining a type of notification required by at least one participant receiving the notification.

25. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 24, wherein the step of determining the type of notification further comprises one of sending a link to the electronic medium, sending an updated version of the electronic medium, and polling to indicate the sending of the notification.

26. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising the step of receiving information identifying a reason for the notification as part of an electronic medium authoring process that includes the step of receiving the configuration of business logic.

27. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

setting a flag that is associated with the electronic medium and that specifies that a notification is present;

receiving a poll from one or more of the participants;

providing the notification in response to the poll when the flag is set.

28. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a notification preference associated with a selected one of the participants;

determining whether the input satisfies the notification preference; and

sending the notification to the selected one of the participants only when the input satisfies the notification preference.

29. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a notification preference associated with a selected one of the participants, wherein the notification preference specifies receiving only important events;

determining whether the input represents an important event; and

sending the notification to the selected one of the participants only when the input represents an important event.

30. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a notification preference associated with a selected one of the participants, wherein the notification preference includes a time interval value and specifies receiving notifications only according to the time interval;

determining whether the selected participant has viewed the electronic medium since a last notification was sent; and

sending the notification to the selected one of the participants only when the selected participant has viewed the electronic medium since a last notification was sent.