Mobile device notification with options

• US 7,650,157 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clayton, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Huy D
• Application Number:
  US11/850,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Notifying users of mobile communication devices, which may include providing options for response to notifications. A component of a communication service provider system receives an indication of a notification for a user of a mobile communication device. The notification may be received from a source internal or external to the communication service provider system. A component of the mobile communication service provider formats the notification so that it is compatible with the mobile communication device of the user and sends the notification to the mobile communication device of the user. The notification may include one or more options to respond to the notification using the mobile communication device. The notification may, for example, pertain to minutes-of-use in a mobile communication service plan, or to other information, including notifications from outside service providers such as airlines, banks, restaurants, hotels, libraries, credit card companies, etc.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user of a mobile device with notifications, the method comprising:

receiving a user preference at a provider application;

storing the user preference in an event database;

at a mobile communication service provider system, receiving a communication having contents associated with a notification for the user from a source that is external to a mobile communication service provider, the contents comprising information about the use of a service by the user, wherein the service is not provided by the mobile communications service provider;

obtaining the user preference from the event database;

formatting at least a portion of the contents of the received communication into a form compatible with the mobile device of the user;

sending the formatted contents to the mobile device of the user based, at least in part, on the user preference, wherein the formatted contents include multiple options for the user to respond to the notification using the mobile device, wherein a first option from among the multiple options is associated with initiating a voice call between the mobile device and a device associated with the source that is external to the mobile communication service provider;

receiving a response from the mobile device of the user comprising an indication of a selection of the first option; and

responsive to receiving the response, initiating the voice call between the mobile device and the device associated with the source that is external to the mobile communication service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatting is based, at least in part, on preferences of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the source that is external to the mobile communication service provider comprises at least one of a transportation provider and a financial institution.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the the user preference is a time period, and wherein sending the formatted contents to the mobile device of the user based, at least in part, on the user preference comprises sending the formatted contents to the mobile device of the user within the time period.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject of the communication is a notification that the user'"'"'s usage of the mobile device has exceeded a predetermined threshold of units of a communication service plan.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatted contents sent to the mobile device are sent as a text message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the text message is sent using short message service (SMS).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatted contents sent to the mobile device are sent as electronic mail.

9. A system for providing users of mobile communication devices with notifications, the system comprising:

means for receiving a user preference at a provider application, wherein the user preference is a time period;

means for storing the user preference in an event database;

means for receiving communications from a source that is external to a mobile communication service provider, wherein each of the received communications has contents associated with a notification for a user, the contents comprising information about the use of a service by the user, wherein the service is not provided by the mobile communications service provider;

means for obtaining the user preference from the event database;

means for formatting the contents of each of the received communications into an email form compatible with an email application on the mobile communication device of a user to which the notification is directed;

means for sending the formatted contents to the mobile communication device of the user to which the notification is directed during the time period, wherein the formatted contents include multiple options for the user to respond to the notification using the mobile device, wherein a first option from among the multiple options is associated with initiating a voice call between the mobile communication device and a device associated with the source that is external to the mobile communication service provider;

means for receiving a response from the mobile communication device of the user comprising an indication of a selection of the first option; and

means for initiating the voice call between the mobile communication device and the device associated with the source that is external to the mobile communication service provider.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the formatting is based, at least in part, on preferences of the user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the source that is external to the mobile communication service provider comprises at least one of a transportation provider and a financial institution.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein a second option from among the multiple options is associated with providing a reminder to the mobile communication device.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the subject of the communications is a notification that the user'"'"'s usage of the mobile device has exceeded a predetermined threshold of units of a communication service plan.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein a second option from among the multiple options is associated with declining an offer contained within the formatted contents.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein a second option from among the multiple options is associated with declining an offer contained within the formatted contents and a third option from among the multiple options is associated with providing a reminder to the mobile communication device.

16. A computer-readable medium containing contents that allows users of mobile communication devices to be notified of events, wherein the notification is provided by a method comprising:

receiving a user preference at a provider application;

storing the user preference in an event database;

at a mobile communication service provider system, receiving a communication having contents associated with a notification for the user from a source that is external to a mobile communication service provider, the communication comprising information about the use of a service by the user, wherein the service is not provided by a mobile communication service provider;

obtaining the user preference from the event database;

formatting at least a portion of the contents of the received communication into a form compatible with the mobile communication device of the user;

sending the formatted contents to the mobile communication device of the user based, at least in part, on the user preference, wherein the formatted contents include multiple options for the user to respond to the notification using the mobile device, wherein a first option from among the multiple options is associated with initiating a voice call between the mobile device and a device associated with the source that is external to the mobile communication service provider;

receiving a response from the mobile communication device of the user comprising an indication of a selection of the first option; and

responsive to receiving the response, transmitting the response to a device associated with the service initiating the voice call between the mobile device and the device associated with the source that is external to the mobile communication service provider.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the formatting is based, at least in part, on preferences of the user.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein a second option from among the multiple options comprises an option to automatically select an offer associated with the notification.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable medium is a logical node in a computer network receiving the contents.