System and method for prioritizing communications messages

• US 7,961,853 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MEC Management, LLC (Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota)
• Original Assignee: SF IP Properties 30 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Connor, Joe, Voticky, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Assistant Examiner(s): ISLAM, MOHAMMAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/417,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20070036301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.24, 379/88.23, 709206-207, 340/5.52
• US Class Current: 379/88.23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method of sorting a received information message in which a source of delivery of the message is indicated by a unique identifier accompanying the message, for example, in an e-mail or voice message system. The method includes steps of receiving the message, looking-up the identifier in a database, assigning a code for the message per the result of the step of looking-up, and prioritizing or forwarding the message according to the code.

Claims

1. A method for an electronic communications message system to prioritize a message, comprising:

determining, by the system, a personalized identifier corresponding to the message, wherein the personalized identifier comprises a priority alphanumeric code (PAC) designated for a one-time use;

obtaining from a database, by the system, a priority code based on the PAC;

assigning, by the system, the obtained priority code to the PAC; and

depositing the message, by the system, into at least one of a plurality of mailboxes wherein the message is prioritized within the at least one of the plurality of mailboxes according to the priority code;

invalidating, by the system, the PAC after the PAC has been employed to prioritize the message according to the priority code.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining, by the system, a priority hierarchy corresponding to the plurality of mailboxes; and

wherein the at least one of the plurality of mailboxes is selected based upon the priority hierarchy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the personalized identifier is based upon an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the personalized identifier is based upon biometric data transmitted in conjunction with the message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the personalized identifier is based upon information that does not require coordination between a sender of the message and a recipient of the message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the system, the PAC in conjunction with the message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the PAC can-not be reused.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is a response to a first message transmitted by the system, the first message including the PAC as a hidden element of the first message, wherein the PAC is configured to be automatically incorporated into any message transmitted in response to the first message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the message includes an e-mail message converted to a voicemail message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is a voicemail message sent in response to an invitation to send the voicemail message in conjunction with an entry of a numeric identification number entered by a phone to be inserted at a beginning or at an end of the voicemail message.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the system is a multi-message system that consolidates messages from varying message sources including e-mail, voicemail, and facsimile into a single system of a single message type.

12. An electronic communications message prioritization system, comprising:

storage to provide a plurality of mailboxes;

logic to locate a personalized identifier in a database, wherein the personalized identifier comprises a priority alphanumeric code (PAC) designated for a one-time use;

logic to assign from the database a priority code corresponding to the PAC; and

logic to deposit a message having a corresponding personalized identifier into at least one of the plurality of mailboxes wherein the message is prioritized within the at least one of the plurality of mailboxes; and

logic to invalidate the PAC after the PAC has been employed to prioritize the message.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein

the plurality of mailboxes have an associated priority hierarchy;

and

the system further comprises logic to choose the at least one mailbox based upon the priority hierarchy.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the personalized identifier is based upon an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the message.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the personalized identifier is based upon biometric data transmitted in conjunction with the message.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the personalized identifier is based upon information that does not require coordination between a sender of the message and a recipient of the message.

17. The system of claim 12,

wherein the PAC is transmitted in conjunction with the message.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the logic to invalidate the PAC includes logic to ensure that the PAC cannot be reused.

19. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer-readable non-transitory storage memory; and

instructions stored therein, and configured to enable an apparatus, in response to execution of the instructions, to perform operations including;

locating a personalized identifier in a database, wherein the personalized identifier comprises a priority alphanumeric code (PAC) designated for a one-time use;

assigning from the database a priority code corresponding to the PAC;

depositing a message having a corresponding personalized identifier into a mailbox, wherein the message is prioritized within the mailbox;

invalidating the PAC after the PAC has been employed to prioritize the message.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

choosing the mailbox based upon a priority hierarchy corresponding to a plurality of mailboxes.

21. The article of claim 19, wherein the personalized identifier is based upon an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the message.

22. The article of claim 19, wherein the personalized identifier is based upon biometric data transmitted in conjunction with the message.

23. The article of claim 19, wherein the personalized identifier is based upon information that does not require coordination between a sender of the message and a recipient of the message.

24. The article of claim 19, wherein

the priority alphanumeric code (PAC) is transmitted in conjunction with the message.