System and method for notifying an offline global computer network user of an online interaction

• US 7,346,658 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2001
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Simpson, Anita Hogans
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Dustin
• Application Number:
  US09/923,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20050004984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,414 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 709/224, 709/318, 709/206, 709/207, 709/203, 709/204, 709/227, 709/239, 709/219, 709/223, 370/349, 379/93.24, 725/109, 705/26, 705/37, 715/758, 455/518, 463/25, 463/40
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method for notifying an offline global computer network user of an online interaction in which the offline user could participate. The system and method specify notification criteria of the offline user, monitor activities occurring on the global computer network, compare the activities to the notification criteria, and, if the activities satisfy the notification criteria, forward an offline communication to the offline user, which notifies the offline user of the online interaction. Examples of the online interactions include chat rooms, game sites, instant messaging services, auctions, and calls made over the global computer network. Examples of the offline communication include calls to a wireline telephone, calls to a wireless telephone, messages to a caller identification device, messages to a wireless access protocol device, messages to a one-way pager, and messages to an interactive pager.

Claims

1. A method of notification, comprising:

monitoring a total number of users who log in to a website;

comparing the total number of users to notification criteria of an offline user, the notification criteria specifying a preset amount of users that log in to the website;

when the total number of users exceeds the preset amount, then sending a caller identification message to the offline user;

receiving a response to the caller identification message using off-hook signaling;

receiving a monitoring notification from an operator of the website, the monitoring notification informing of a particular user that has logged into the website, the monitoring notification identifying contact information for buddies in a buddy list who wish to be informed of the particular user'"'"'s entry into the website, the monitoring notification comprising text to be delivered to the buddies in the buddy list;

converting the text in the monitoring notification to an audible message;

delivering the audible message to a telephone number of a buddy in the buddy list;

receiving the buddy'"'"'s response to the audible message via an interface to an interactive voice response unit;

prefacing the response with an explanation of why the buddies will receive the buddy'"'"'s response; and

broadcasting the buddy'"'"'s response to the buddies in the buddy list,

wherein the notification informs the buddy of activity in the website.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the website is a chat room and the notification criteria further comprise a topic of discussion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the website is a game site and the notification criteria further comprise when a high score has been exceeded.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the website is an auction site and the notification criteria comprise entry of a bid that exceeds a high bid submitted by the offline user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the website is an auction site and the notification criteria comprise a number of bids submitted within a certain duration.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising reporting the caller identification message to another offline user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an offline communication to the offline user in accordance with the offline user'"'"'s contact information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the contact information comprises a communication device type and an address of the communication device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the contact information comprises a plurality of communication device types of the offline user, addresses for each of the plurality of communication device types, and an order in which to attempt the plurality of communication device types.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein sending the offline communication comprises sending the offline communication to one of a wireline telephone, a wireless telephone, a caller identification device, a wireless access protocol device, a one-way pager, and an interactive pager.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the buddy'"'"'s response comprises receiving audio inputs and converting the audio inputs to text for transmission through the global computer network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the buddy'"'"'s response comprises receiving audio inputs, recording the audio inputs as digital audio files, and transmitting the digital audio files through the global computer network to the buddies in the buddy list.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein sending the offline communication comprises sending the offline communication to one of an interactive pager and a wireless access protocol device, and

wherein receiving the buddy'"'"'s response comprises receiving an input from the interactive pager or the wireless access protocol device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the input comprises one of a standard message and a customized message.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the buddy'"'"'s response comprises the notification criteria and a time and a date that the notification criteria were satisfied.

16. The method of claim 7, further comprising requiring the offline user to provide a passcode before the offline communication.

17. A computer providing notification of an online interaction occurring on a global computer network, the computer performing:

monitoring a total number of users who log in to a website;

when a user logs in, comparing the total number of users to notification criteria of an offline user, the notification criteria specifying a preset amount of users that log in to the website; and

when the total number of users exceeds the preset amount, then sending a caller identification message to the offline user;

receiving a response to the caller identification message using off-hook signaling;

receiving a monitoring notification from an operator of the website, the monitoring notification informing of a particular user that has logged into the website, the monitoring notification identifying contact information for buddies in a buddy list who wish to be informed of the particular user'"'"'s entry into the website, the monitoring notification comprising text to be delivered to the buddies in the buddy list;

converting the text in the monitoring notification to an audible message;

delivering the audible message to a telephone number of a buddy in the buddy list;

receiving the buddy'"'"'s response to the audible message via an interface to an interactive voice response unit;

prefacing the response with an explanation of why the buddies will receive the buddy'"'"'s response; and

broadcasting the buddy'"'"'s response to the buddies in the buddy list,

wherein the notification informs the offline user of an amount of activity in the website.

18. The computer of claim 17, wherein the website is a chat room and the notification criteria further comprise a topic of discussion.

19. The computer of claim 17, wherein the website is a game site and the notification criteria further comprise when a high score has been exceeded.

20. The computer of claim 17, wherein the website is an auction site and the notification criteria comprise entry of a bid that exceeds a high bid submitted by the offline user.

21. The computer of claim 17, wherein the computer further performs sending an offline communication to the offline user in accordance with the offline user'"'"'s contact information.

22. The computer of claim 21, wherein the contact information comprises a communication device type and an address of the communication device.

23. The computer of claim 21, wherein the contact information comprises a plurality of communication device types of the offline user, addresses for each of the plurality of communication device types, and an order in which to attempt the plurality of communication device types.

24. The computer of claim 21, wherein sending the offline communication comprises sending the offline communication to one of a wireline telephone, a wireless telephone, a caller identification device, a wireless access protocol device, a one-way pager, and an interactive pager.

25. A system providing notification of an online interaction occurring on a global computer network, the system storing instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

monitoring a total number of users who log in to a website;

comparing the total number of users to notification criteria of an offline user, the notification criteria specifying a preset amount of users that log in to the website;

when the total number of users exceeds the preset amount, then sending a caller identification message to the offline user;

receiving a response to the caller identification message using off-hook signaling;

receiving a monitoring notification from an operator of the website, the monitoring notification informing of a particular user that has logged into the website, the monitoring notification identifying contact information for buddies in a buddy list who wish to be informed of the particular user'"'"'s entry into the website, the monitoring notification comprising text to be delivered to the buddies in the buddy list;

converting the text in the monitoring notification to an audible message;

delivering the audible message to a telephone number of a buddy in the buddy list;

receiving the buddy'"'"'s response to the audible message via an interface to an interactive voice response unit;

prefacing the response with an explanation of why the buddies will receive the buddy'"'"'s response; and

broadcasting the buddy'"'"'s response to the buddies in the buddy list.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the website is a chat room and the notification criteria further comprise a topic of discussion.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the website is a game site and the notification criteria further comprise when a high score has been exceeded.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the website is an auction site and the notification criteria comprise entry of a bid that exceeds a high bid submitted by the offline user.

29. The system of claim 25, further comprising instructions for sending an offline communication to the offline user in accordance with the offline user'"'"'s contact information.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the contact information comprises a communication device type and an address of the communication device.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the contact information comprises a plurality of communication device types of the offline user, addresses for each of the plurality of communication device types, and an order in which to attempt the plurality of communication device types.

32. The system of claim 29, further comprising instructions for sending the offline communication to one of a wireline telephone, a wireless telephone, a caller identification device, a wireless access protocol device, a one-way pager, and an interactive pager.

33. A system for notifying an offline user of an online interaction, the system comprising:

(a) means for retrieving notification criteria of the offline user, the notification criteria specifying a preset amount of users that log in to a website;

(b) means for monitoring a total number of users who log in to the website;

(c) means for comparing the total number of logged in users to the notification criteria;

(d) when the total number of users exceeds the preset amount, then means for sending a caller identification message to the offline user;

(e) means for receiving a response to the caller identification message using off-hook signaling;

(f) means for receiving a monitoring notification from an operator of the website, the monitoring notification informing of a particular user that has jogged into the website, the monitoring notification identifying contact information for buddies in a buddy list who wish to be informed of the particular user'"'"'s entry into the website, the monitoring notification comprising text to be delivered to the buddies in the buddy list;

(g) means for converting the text in the monitoring notification to an audible message;

(h) means for delivering the audible message to a telephone number of a buddy in the buddy list;

(i) means for receiving the buddy'"'"'s response to the audible message via an interface to an interactive voice response unit;

(j) means for prefacing the response with an explanation of why the buddies will receive the buddy'"'"'s response; and

(k) means for broadcasting the buddy'"'"'s response to the buddies in the buddy list.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the website is one of a chat room, a game site, and an auction.

35. A method for notifying an offline user of an interaction in which the offline user could participate, wherein the interaction occurs on an instant messaging service, the method comprising:

monitoring a total number of users that log into the instant messaging service;

when the total number of logged in users exceeds a predefined amount, then sending a caller identification message to the offline user;

receiving a response to the caller identification message using off-hook signaling;

receiving a monitoring notification from an operator of the instant messaging service, the monitoring notification informing of a particular user that has logged into the instant messaging service, the monitoring notification identifying contact information for buddies in a buddy list who wish to be informed of the particular user'"'"'s entry into the instant messaging service, the monitoring notification comprising text to be delivered to the buddies in the buddy list;

converting the text in the monitoring notification to an audible message;

delivering the audible message to a telephone number of a buddy in the buddy list;

receiving the buddy'"'"'s response to the audible message via an interface to an interactive voice response unit;

prefacing the response with an explanation of why the buddies will receive the buddy'"'"'s response; and

broadcasting the buddy'"'"'s response to the buddies in the buddy list.

36. A method for notifying an offline user of activities occurring on an auction website, the method comprising:

retrieving notification criteria under which to notify the offline user, the notification criteria specifying a preset amount of users that log in to the auction website;

monitoring a total number of users who log in to the auction website;

comparing the total number of logged in users to the preset amount;

when the total number of logged in users exceeds a predefined amount, then sending a caller identification message to the offline user;

receiving a response to the caller identification message using off-hook signaling;

receiving a monitoring notification from an operator of the auction website, the monitoring notification informing of a particular user that has logged into the auction website, the monitoring notification identifying contact information for buddies in a buddy list who wish to be informed of the particular user'"'"'s entry into the auction website, the monitoring notification comprising text to be delivered to the buddies in the buddy list;

converting the text in the monitoring notification to an audible message;

delivering the audible message to a telephone number of a buddy in the buddy list;

receiving the buddy'"'"'s response to the audible message via an interface to an interactive voice response unit;

prefacing the response with an explanation of why the buddies will receive the buddy'"'"'s response; and

broadcasting the buddy'"'"'s response to the buddies in the buddy list.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the notification criteria comprises at least one of:

when a bid is entered that exceeds a high bid of the offline user, and

when the number of bids entered within a duration exceeds a preset amount.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising reporting a high bid from the offline user to users logged into the auction website.