Method and system for regulating the dispatching of messages for requestors
First Claim
1. A computer system for regulating the sending of messages that generate return contacts, comprising:
- a request store for storing requests to send messages to recipients, each request being received from one of a plurality of requestor systems;
a message dispatcher for retrieving requests from the request store, generating messages, and sending the generated messages according to a requestor-specific rate;
a return contact handler for forwarding return contacts by recipients of messages to the requestors and generating statistics relating to the forwarding of the return contacts to each requestor;
a rate parameter store for storing requestor-specific rate parameters; and
a set rate component that sets a message dispatch rate for each requestor based on the requestor-specific rate parameters of the rate parameter store and the generated statisticswherein a message is sent via a telephone call,wherein the return contact is via the same telephone call, andwherein the return contact handler transfers the telephone call to an agent of the requestor only after the recipient of the telephone call indicates a willingness to talk to an agent of the requestor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system in an application service provider (“ASP”) system for regulating the dispatching of event notification messages that generate return contacts. The ASP system is connected to various requester systems and receives from those systems requests to send messages to designated recipients. The ASP system dispatches the messages by retrieving the requests from the request store, generating messages for the requests, and sending the generated messages at a requestor-specific message dispatch rate. The ASP system dynamically adjusts the message dispatch rate for a requestor in real time to help ensure that the requestor is not overwhelmed with return contacts.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A computer system for regulating the sending of messages that generate return contacts, comprising:
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a request store for storing requests to send messages to recipients, each request being received from one of a plurality of requestor systems; a message dispatcher for retrieving requests from the request store, generating messages, and sending the generated messages according to a requestor-specific rate; a return contact handler for forwarding return contacts by recipients of messages to the requestors and generating statistics relating to the forwarding of the return contacts to each requestor; a rate parameter store for storing requestor-specific rate parameters; and a set rate component that sets a message dispatch rate for each requestor based on the requestor-specific rate parameters of the rate parameter store and the generated statistics wherein a message is sent via a telephone call, wherein the return contact is via the same telephone call, and wherein the return contact handler transfers the telephone call to an agent of the requestor only after the recipient of the telephone call indicates a willingness to talk to an agent of the requestor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A computer system for regulating the sending of messages that generate return contacts, comprising:
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a request store for storing requests to send messages to recipients, each request being received from one of a plurality of requestor systems; a message dispatcher for retrieving requests from the request store, generating messages, and sending the generated messages according to a requestor-specific rate; a return contact handler for forwarding return contacts by recipients of messages to the requestors and generating statistics relating to the forwarding of the return contacts to each requestor; a rate parameter store for storing requestor-specific rate parameters; and a set rate component that sets a message dispatch rate for each requestor based on the requestor-specific rate parameters of the rate parameter store and the generated statistics; wherein the message is an electronic mail message and wherein the electronic mail message includes instructions for the recipient to request the requestor to place a call to the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method in a computer system for regulating the sending of messages from requestors to recipients, where each message, at the discretion of the recipient, results in a return contact to the requestor by the recipient, the method comprising:
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for each of a plurality of requestors, receiving messages from a computer system of the requestor; identifying a value for requestor-specific control indicating a characteristic of return contacts to the requestor by recipients; identifying a current message dispatch rate of sending messages to recipients; when the identified value is below a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate to a maximum message dispatch rate; when the identified value is within a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate based on the identified value relative to the requestor-specific range; when the identified value is above a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate to a minimum message dispatch rate; and
dispatching the received messages at the new message dispatch rate wherein the requestor-specific control is based on the number of return contacts established between a recipient and a requestor.- View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 24, 25, 26)
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19. An application service provider system for regulating the sending of messages that generate calls to be transferred to requestors, comprising:
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a request store for storing requests to send messages to recipients, each request being received from one of a plurality of requestor systems; a message dispatcher for retrieving requests from the request store, generating messages, and sending the messages according to a requestor-specific message dispatch rate; a call handler for transferring calls with recipients of messages to call centers of the requestors and generating statistics relating to the transferring of calls to each requestor'"'"'s call center; a rate parameter store for storing requestor-specific rate parameters; and a set rate component that sets a message dispatch rate for each requestor based on the requestor-specific rate parameters of the rate parameter store and the generated statistics wherein a message is sent via a telephone call and wherein the call handler transfers a call only after the recipient of the message indicates a willingness to talk to an agent of the requestor.
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20. An application service provider system for regulating the sending of messages that generate calls to be transferred to requestors, comprising:
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a request store for storing requests to send messages to recipients, each request being received from one of a plurality of requestor systems; a message dispatcher for retrieving requests from the request store, generating messages, and sending the messages according to a requestor-specific message dispatch rate; a call handler for transferring calls with recipients of messages to call centers of the requestors and generating statistics relating to the transferring of calls to each requestor'"'"'s call center; a rate parameter store for storing requestor-specific rate parameters; and a set rate component that sets a message dispatch rate for each requestor based on the requestor-specific rate parameters of the rate parameter store and the generated statistics wherein the message is an electronic mail message and wherein the electronic mail message includes instructions for the recipient to request that the requestor place a call to the recipient. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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27. A method in a computer system for regulating the sending of messages from requestors to recipients, each message inviting the recipient to have a telephonic discussion with the requestor, the method comprising:
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for each of a plurality of requestors, receiving messages from a computer system of the requestor; identifying a value of a requestor-specific control indicating a characteristic of telephone calls between the requestor and recipients; identifying a current message dispatch rate of sending messages to recipients; when the identified value is below a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate to a maximum message dispatch rate; when the identified value is within a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate based on the identified value within the requestor-specific range and the identified current message dispatch rate; when the identified value is above a requestor-specific range of the requestor-specific control, setting a new message dispatch rate to a minimum message dispatch rate; and dispatching the received messages at the new message dispatch rate wherein the requestor-specific control is based on the number of connections established between a recipient and a requestor. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification