System and method for providing message notification

• US 7,657,253 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2002
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• 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: Lewis, John Ervin
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US10/299,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20040087300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,633 Days
• Field of Search: 4554121-4122, 455/414.1, 455/415, 455/466, 455/567, 709/206, 709/207, 709/219, 709/329, 709/245, 709/203
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/06 between gateways and public network devices

Abstract

A method for providing message notification in a wireless network includes receiving from a subscriber a message that is to be sent over the wireless network, receiving from the subscriber a requested notification type and a requested notification destination, processing the requested notification type and the requested notification destination, and sending the requested notification type to the requested notification destination.

Claims

1. A method for providing message notification in a wireless network, the network being operated to allow a subscriber to send a message to a recipient and the recipient to send a reply, the method comprising:

receiving from the subscriber the message that is to be sent over the wireless network;

after receiving the message at a computer device on the wireless network, prompting the subscriber to enter a requested notification type and a requested notification destination, the prompt generated by one or more of a Routing and Validation Entity (RAVE), an Adaptive Routing Concentrator (ARC), a Logging Administration Maintenance and Billing unit (LAMB), and a Data Storage and Routing Terminal (DART);

receiving from the subscriber the requested notification type and the requested notification destination selected by the subscriber from a plurality of selectable notification types and notification destinations, wherein the requested notification type includes one or more of a receipt notification which notifies the subscriber when the message is received by the recipient and a read notification which notifies the subscriber when the message is read by the recipient;

processing the requested notification type and the requested notification destination; and

sending a notification of the requested notification type and concerning an aspect of the message irrespective of message content to the requested notification destination, the notification being separate from a reply from the recipient.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

assigning a message identifier to the message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the requested notification type and the requested notification destination further comprises:

accessing a data structure for information about a status of the message; and

returning the status of the message to the subscriber.

4. A system for providing message notification in a wireless network, the network being operated to allow a subscriber to send a message to a recipient and the recipient to send a reply, the system comprising:

a computer device for receiving from the subscriber the message that is to be sent over the wireless network, after receiving the message, prompting the subscriber to enter a requested notification type and a requested notification destination, the prompt generated by one or more of a Routing and Validation Entity (RAVE), an Adaptive Routing Concentrator (ARC), a Logging Administration Maintenance and Billing unit (LAMB), and a Data Storage and Routing Terminal (DART), receiving from the subscriber the requested notification type and the requested notification destination selected by the subscriber from a plurality of selectable notification types and notification destinations, and processing the requested notification type and the requested notification destination, wherein the requested notification type includes one or more of a receipt notification which notifies the subscriber when the message is received by the recipient and a read notification which notifies the subscriber when the message is read by the recipient; and

a communications device for sending a notification of the requested notification type and concerning an aspect of the message irrespective of message content to the requested notification destination, the notification being separate from a reply from the recipient.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the computer device is further operable to assign a message identifier to the message.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the computer device is further operable to access a data structure for information about a status of the message.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the communications device is further operable to return the status of the message to the subscriber.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

receiving from a subscriber a message that is to be sent over a wireless network, the network being operated to allow the subscriber to send the message to a recipient and the recipient to send a reply;

after receiving the message at a computer device on the wireless network, prompting the subscriber to enter a requested notification type and a requested notification destination, the prompt generated by one or more of a Routing and Validation Entity (RAVE), an Adaptive Routing Concentrator (ARC), a Logging Administration Maintenance and Billing unit (LAMB), and a Data Storage and Routing Terminal (DART);

receiving from the subscriber the requested notification type and the requested notification destination selected by the subscriber from a plurality of selectable notification types and notification destinations, wherein the requested notification type includes one or more of a receipt notification which notifies the subscriber when the message is received by the recipient and a read notification which notifies the subscriber when the message is read by the recipient;

processing the requested notification type and the requested notification destination; and

sending a notification of the requested notification type and concerning an aspect of the message irrespective of message content to the requested notification destination, the notification being separate from a reply from the recipient.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 further having computer-executable instructions for performing:

assigning a message identifier to the message.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein processing the requested notification type and the requested notification destination further comprises:

accessing a data structure for information about a status of the message; and

returning the status of the message to the subscriber.