Interactive communications system

• US 7,930,355 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: CVON
• Inventors: Aaltonen, Janne, Ahopelto, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter; Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US12/077,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20080244024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 709/227, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

An interactive system and method for controlling access to a plurality of communications sessions involving a plurality of users including controlling access to a plurality of communications sessions, each of said communications sessions being for access by a plurality of users, wherein data identifying said plurality of communications sessions have been stored in association with data indicative of one or more characteristics thereof. The method includes receiving a request to initiate communications among members of a group of users, wherein said request includes data identifying the group of users, responsive to receiving said request, selecting a communications session on the basis of data identifying the group and at least some of said stored data indicative of characteristics of a given communications session, and transmitting messages to at least some members of the group. Each message has a message body including data providing access to the selected communications session and a destination address determined from data indicative of a given member of the group.

Claims

1. A method of coordinating a communications session involving a plurality of users, the method comprising:

receiving a first message from a sender comprising data indicative of a group of users and indicating a desire to initiate a communications session, said group of users comprising a plurality of members;

generating, using a processor, at least one second message based in part on the data indicative of the group of users in the first message, each second message having a message body comprising data providing access to a communications session and a destination address determined from data indicative of a given member of the group;

identifying members of the group of users based in part on the data indicative of the group of users in the first message;

transmitting the second message to at least one identified member of the group of users; and

transmitting a message with the same message body as the second message to the sender of the first message,

wherein the communications session is accessible by the at least one identified member of the group and by the sender of the first message via the transmitted messages and involves participants other than the group members.

2. A method according to claim 1, including receiving a request to initiate communications, said request comprising said data indicative of the group of users.

3. A method according to claim 2, in which the request includes a group identifier, and the method includes accessing a storage system so as to identify group members corresponding thereto.

4. A method according to claim 3, in which the request includes one or more keywords, and the method includes accessing a storage system so as to identify users having preference data corresponding to said keywords, whereby to identify members of the group.

5. A method according to claim 4, in which said request to initiate communications is received from a terminal associated with a member of the group, and the method includes identifying the group members on the basis of an identifier associated with said terminal.

6. A method according to claim 4, in which the said request to initiate communications is received from an information source, and the method includes identifying the group members on the basis of an identifier associated with said information source.

7. A method according to claim 4, including selecting said active communications session from a list of predetermined active communications sessions.

8. A method according to claim 3, in which said request to initiate communications is received from a terminal associated with a member of the group, and the method includes identifying the group members on the basis of an identifier associated with said terminal.

9. A method according to claim 3, in which the said request to initiate communications is received from an information source, and the method includes identifying the group members on the basis of an identifier associated with said information source.

10. A method according to claim 3, including selecting said active communications session from a list of predetermined active communications sessions.

11. A method according to claim 2, in which the request includes one or more keywords, and the method includes accessing a storage system so as to identify users having preference data corresponding to said keywords, whereby to identify members of the group.

12. A method according to claim 11, in which said request to initiate communications is received from a terminal associated with a member of the group, and the method includes identifying the group members on the basis of an identifier associated with said terminal.

13. A method according to claim 11, in which the said request to initiate communications is received from an information source, and the method includes identifying the group members on the basis of an identifier associated with said information source.

14. A method according to claim 11, including selecting said active communications session from a list of predetermined active communications sessions.

15. A method according to claim 2, in which said request to initiate communications is received from a terminal associated with a member of the group, and the method includes identifying the group members on the basis of an identifier associated with said terminal.

16. A method according to claim 15, including selecting said active communications session from a list of predetermined active communications sessions.

17. A method according to claim 2, in which the said request to initiate communications is received from an information source, and the method includes identifying the group members on the basis of an identifier associated with said information source.

18. A method according to claim 17, including selecting said active communications session from a list of predetermined active communications sessions.

19. A method according to claim 2, including selecting said active communications session from a list of predetermined active communications sessions.

20. A method according to claim 1, including selecting said active communications session from a list of predetermined active communications sessions.

21. A method according to claim 20, including selecting said active communications session on the basis of priority information associated with said predetermined active communications sessions.

22. A method according to claim 21, including identifying preference data associated with said identified members of the group and matching said identified preference data with preference data associated with said predetermined active communications sessions, whereby to select the active communications session.

23. A method according to claim 22, including creating a plurality of the second messages for transmission to said at least some of the group members, in which each said created message contains a selectable link to the selected active communications session.

24. A method according to claim 23, including identifying content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and appending said identified content to each said created message.

25. A method according to claim 24, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

26. A method according to claim 23, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

27. A method according to claim 21, including identifying preference data associated with said identified members of the group and matching said identified preference data with preference data associated with said members of a group previously notified of the active communications session, whereby to select the active communications session.

28. A method according to claim 27, including creating a plurality of the second messages for transmission to said at least some of the group members, in which each said created message contains a selectable link to the selected active communications session.

29. A method according to claim 28, including identifying content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and appending said identified content to each said created message,

allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots, and then

providing the cost of utilizing the messaging slots to the information provider.

30. A method according to claim 29, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

31. A method according to claim 28, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

32. A method according to claim 21, including creating a plurality of the second messages for transmission to said at least some of the group members, in which each said created message contains a selectable link to the selected active communications session.

33. A method according to claim 32, including identifying content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and appending said identified content to each said created message.

34. A method according to claim 33, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

35. A method according to claim 32, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

36. A method according to claim 20, including identifying preference data associated with said identified members of the group and matching said identified preference data with preference data associated with said active predetermined communications sessions, whereby to select the active communications session.

37. A method according to claim 36, including identifying preference data associated with said identified members of the group and matching said identified preference data with preference data associated with said members of a group previously notified of the active communications session, whereby to select the active communications session.

38. A method according to claim 37, including creating a plurality of the second messages for transmission to said at least some of the group members, in which each said created message contains a selectable link to the selected active communications session.

39. A method according to claim 38, including identifying content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and appending said identified content to each said created message,

allocating to each information provider, available messaging slots from a lowest cost per message tier having unallocated messaging slots, and then

providing the cost of utilizing the messaging slots to the information provider.

40. A method according to claim 39, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

41. A method according to claim 38, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

42. A method according to claim 36, including creating a plurality of the second messages for transmission to said at least some of the group members, in which each said created message contains a selectable link to the selected active communications session.

43. A method according to claim 42, including identifying content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and appending said identified content to each said created message.

44. A method according to claim 43, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

45. A method according to claim 42, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

46. A method according to claim 20, including identifying preference data associated with said identified members of the group and matching said identified preference data with preference data associated with said members of a group previously notified of the active communications session, whereby to select the active communications session.

47. A method according to claim 46, including creating a plurality of the second messages for transmission to said at least some of the group members, in which each said created message contains a selectable link to the selected active communications session.

48. A method according to claim 47, including identifying content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and appending said identified content to each said created message.

49. A method according to claim 48, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

50. A method according to claim 47, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

51. A method according to claim 20, including creating a plurality of the second messages for transmission to said at least some of the group members, in which each said created message contains a selectable link to the selected active communications session.

52. A method according to claim 51, including identifying content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and appending said identified content to each said created message.

53. A method according to claim 52, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

54. A method according to claim 51, including accessing an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members, and appending the retrieved information to each said created message.

55. A method according to claim 1, in which the data indicative of a group of users is received via the short messaging service (SMS).

56. A method according to claim 1, in which the data indicative of a group of users is received via the Unstructured Supplementary Services Data (USSD) messaging service.

57. A method according to claim 1, in which the messages are transmitted to at least some members of the group via the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Push messaging service.

58. A method according to claim 1, in which the messages are transmitted to at least some members of the group via the Short Messaging Service (SMS).

59. A method according to claim 1, in which the messages are transmitted to at least some members of the group via the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).

60. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first message is a SMS message comprising a message body containing at least one of text and image entered to the message body by the sender.

61. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data providing access to the communications session comprises a user selectable link comprising a URL, which when selected enables a terminal of a member of the plurality of users to retrieve data from the destination address.

62. A system for coordinating a communications session involving a plurality of users, the system comprising:

an interface arranged to receive a first message from a sender comprising data indicative of a group of users and indicating a desire to initiate a communications session, said group of users comprising a plurality of members;

a processing system arranged to generate at least one second message based in part on the data indicative of the group of users in the first message, each second message having a message body comprising data providing access to a communications session and a destination address determined from data indicative of a given member of the group, the processing system being further arranged to identify members of the group of users based in part on the data indicative of the group of users in the first message, to transmit the second message to at least one identified member of the group of users; and

to transmit a message with the same message body as the second message to the sender of the first message,

wherein the communications session is accessible by the at least one identified member of the group and by the sender of the first message via the transmitted messages and involves participants other than the group members.

63. A system according to claim 62, wherein said data indicative of a group of users comprising a group identifier and the processing system is arranged to access a storage system so as to identify group members corresponding to said group identifier.

64. A system according to claim 63, wherein the data indicative of a group of users is received via a data message containing one or more keywords, and the processing system is arranged to access a storage system so as to identify users having preference data corresponding to said keywords, whereby to identify members of the group.

65. A system according to claim 64, wherein the processing system is arranged to create a message body comprising a selectable link to a publicly accessible network location corresponding to the selected communications session and to transmit a plurality of the second messages comprising said message body to said at least some of the group members.

66. A system according to claim 65, wherein the system is further arranged to identify content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and to append said identified content to said message body.

67. A system according to claim 66, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

68. A system according to claim 65, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

69. A system according to claim 63, wherein the processing system is arranged to derive an identifier associated with an origin of the data message and to identify the group members on the basis of said identifier.

70. A system according to claim 69, wherein the processing system is arranged to identify preference data associated with said identified members of the group and to match said identified preference data with preference data associated with said members of a group previously notified of the active communications session, whereby to select the active communications session.

71. A system according to claim 70, wherein the processing system is arranged to create a message body comprising a selectable link to a publicly accessible network location corresponding to the selected communications session and to transmit a plurality of the second messages comprising said message body to said at least some of the group members.

72. A system according to claim 71, wherein the system is further arranged to identify content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and to append said identified content to said message body.

73. A system according to claim 72, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

74. A system according to claim 71, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

75. A system according to claim 69, wherein the processing system is arranged to create a message body comprising a selectable link to a publicly accessible network location corresponding to the selected communications session and to transmit a plurality of the second messages comprising said message body to said at least some of the group members.

76. A system according to claim 75, wherein the system is further arranged to identify content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and to append said identified content to said message body.

77. A system according to claim 76, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

78. A system according to claim 75, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

79. A system according to claim 62, wherein the data indicative of a group of users is received via a data message containing one or more keywords, and the processing system is arranged to access a storage system so as to identify users having preference data corresponding to said keywords, whereby to identify members of the group.

80. A system according to claim 79, wherein the processing system is arranged to create a message body comprising a selectable link to a publicly accessible network location corresponding to the selected communications session and to transmit a plurality of the second messages comprising said message body to said at least some of the group members.

81. A system according to claim 80, wherein the system is further arranged to identify content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and to append said identified content to said message body.

82. A system according to claim 81, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

83. A system according to claim 80, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

84. A system according to claim 62, wherein the processing system is arranged to derive an identifier associated with an origin of the data message and to identify the group members on the basis of said identifier.

85. A system according to claim 84, wherein the processing system is arranged to identify preference data associated with said identified members of the group and to match said identified preference data with preference data associated with said members of a group previously notified of the active communications session, whereby to select the active communications session.

86. A system according to claim 85, wherein the processing system is arranged to create a message body comprising a selectable link to a publicly accessible network location corresponding to the selected communications session and to transmit a plurality of the second messages comprising said message body to said at least some of the group members.

87. A system according to claim 86, wherein the system is further arranged to identify content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and to append said identified content to said message body.

88. A system according to claim 87, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

89. A system according to claim 86, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

90. A system according to claim 84, wherein the processing system is arranged to create a message body comprising a selectable link to a publicly accessible network location corresponding to the selected communications session and to transmit a plurality of the second messages comprising said message body to said at least some of the group members.

91. A system according to claim 90, wherein the system is further arranged to identify content accompanying the data indicative of said group of users, and to append said identified content to said message body.

92. A system according to claim 91, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

93. A system according to claim 90, wherein the system is further arranged to access an information source so as to retrieve information relating to said at least some of the group members and to append the retrieved information to said message body.

94. A system according to claim 62, wherein the first message is a SMS message comprising a message body containing at least one of text and image entered to the message body by the sender.

95. A system according to claim 62, wherein the data providing access to the communications session comprises a user selectable link comprising a URL, which when selected enables a terminal of a member of the plurality of members to retrieve data from the destination address.

96. A method of coordinating a communications session involving a plurality of users, the method comprising:

receiving a first message from a sender comprising data indicative of a group of users and indicating a desire to initiate a communications session, said group of users comprising a plurality of members;

generating, using a processor, at least one second message based in part on the data indicative of the group of users in the first message, each second message having a message body comprising data providing access to a communications session and a destination address determined from data indicative of a given member of the group;

identifying members of the group of users based in part on the data indicative of the group of users in the first message;

transmitting the second message to at least one identified member of the group of users; and

transmitting a message with the same message body as the second message to the sender of the first message,

wherein the data providing access to the communications session comprises a user selectable link comprising a URL, which when selected enables a terminal of a member of the plurality of members to retrieve data from the destination address.