Methods and systems for a communications and information resource manager

• US 7,272,633 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale, Koch, Robert A., Hill, Peter, Anderson, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STRANGE, AARON N
• Application Number:
  US10/251,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207, 709/217, 709/203, 709/205
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 : Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 : Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 : Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 : for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 : where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 : where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 : where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 : where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 : Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 : Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13338 : Do-not-disturb
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement

Abstract

A manager interfaces with communications systems such as a telecommunications and/or data network. The manager allows a user to participate in, keep track of, log, monitor, and engage or direct activities relating to communications. The manager may include user data and keep it current, receive and display data on a user'"'"'s communications, and respond to communications with a standard or selected response. The manager may make information related to the data or the received communications available and include a message log with entries on communications of the user including instant or chat room messages, and unanswered calls. The manager may include a directory that is kept current using data on received communications and may include a calendar with scheduled activities.

Claims

1. A method for managing communications and data relating to the communications of a user, the method comprising:

presenting an icon for facilitating communications of the user;

in response to activation of the icon by the user, querying the user for identification of a communicating partner;

in response to receiving the identification, determining a mode of communication preferred by the communicating partner;

automatically presenting an option to review previous communications related to the communicating partner without the user having to search for these previous communications on a piecemeal basis;

presenting a template that corresponds to the communicating partner'"'"'s preferred mode of communication;

pre-populating the template with information related to the communicating partner;

sending a communication to the communicating partner;

when a reply communication is received from the communicating partner, comparing the communicating partner'"'"'s name and address to a directory storing communicating partners;

when the communicating partner'"'"'s name and address is not included in the directory, then adding the communicating partner'"'"'s name and address to the directory;

comparing the communication partner'"'"'s name and address to entries in a message log;

when the communicating partner'"'"'s name and address is found in the message log, then retrieving an entry corresponding to the communicating partner'"'"'s name and address;

comparing the communicating partner'"'"'s name and address to scheduled activities in an electronic calendar;

when the communicating partner'"'"'s name and address is found in the electronic calendar, then retrieving a scheduled activity associated with the communicating partner'"'"'s name and address; and

presenting the reply communication, the entry from the message log, and the scheduled activity to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating partner'"'"'s preferred mode of communication comprises an electronic mail (e-mail) message;

and

wherein the template comprises an e-mail template that is pre-populated with an address for the communicating partner.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating partner'"'"'s preferred mode of communication comprises a facsimile (fax) message;

and

wherein the template comprises a fax template that is pre-populated with an address for the communicating partner.

4. A processor-implemented method for managing communications and data relating to the communications of a user, the method comprising:

receiving a communication associated with a sender'"'"'s name and address;

comparing the sender'"'"'s name and address to a directory storing communicating partners;

when the sender'"'"'s name and address is not included in the directory, then adding the sender'"'"'s name and address to the directory;

comparing the sender'"'"'s name and address to entries in a message log;

when the sender'"'"'s name and address is found in the message log, then retrieving an entry corresponding to the sender'"'"'s name and address;

comparing the sender'"'"'s name and address to scheduled activities in an electronic calendar;

when the sender'"'"'s name and address is found in the electronic calendar, then retrieving a scheduled activity associated with the sender'"'"'s name and address; and

upon receipt of the communication, presenting the entry from the message log and the scheduled activity to the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the scheduled activity comprises birthday information.