Cooling off period prior to sending dependent on user's state

• US 8,041,344 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Forbes, Alex, Gannon, Ciaran, Runcie, Peter D., Warta, Ralph, Coughlan, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TIMOTHY X
• Application Number:
  US11/768,567
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/414.1, 455/432.3
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

A determination regarding the appropriateness of sending a message can be based on one or more factors. For example, the determination can be an analysis of a message to determine the likelihood that the sender has the target physical condition and/or a likely degree or severity of the target physical condition. The analysis determines, with reference to a baseline of the user, one or more of a number of errors (spelling and/or grammar) in the message, a response time, a non-fluency level associated with the message, a spell check of the message and recipient information associated with the message. Based on this analysis, the message can be managed in accordance with one or more of sending the message after a delay, returning the message to a sender for approval, managing the message based on a profile and holding the message for management at a later time.

Claims

1. A method for managing messages in a communications environment comprising:

intercepting the sending of a message sent by a sender; and

determining if a delay mode or an impaired condition mode is active, and

when the delay mode or the impaired condition mode is not active, forwarding the message to one or more recipients;

when the delay mode or the impaired condition mode is active, performing one or more of sending the message after a delay, returning the message to the sender for approval, managing the message based on a profile and holding the message for management at a later time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining approval from the sender for sending the message before sending.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the sender is in an impaired state.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining is based on one or more of breath testing, an emotion profile, stress detection, speech analysis, a physiological test, an expression test, a language test, a grammar test, a spelling test, message metrics and recipient sensitivity.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising attempting to recall a sent message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering a delay before sending mode based on time and day information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering a delay before sending mode based on sender input.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising requiring a specific key sequence from the sender before sending the message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile includes one or more of recipient information, metric information, and presence information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is one of a text message, SMS (Short Message Service) communication, multimedia message, audio message, video message, an instant message and a message including an image.

11. A communications management system that manages one or more messages in a communications environment comprising:

a message management module that intercepts the sending of a message; and

a messaging system, including a controller, that determines if a delay mode or an impaired condition mode is active, and

when the delay mode or the impaired condition mode is not active, forwards the message to one or more recipients;

when the delay mode or the impaired condition mode is active, performs one or more of sending the message after a delay, returns the message to the sender for approval, manages the message based on a profile and holds the message for management at a later time.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein approval from the sender is obtained before sending a message.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the message management module further determines if the sender is in an impaired state.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the determining is based on one or more of breath testing, an emotion profile, stress detection, speech analysis, a physiological test, an expression test, a language test, a grammar test, a spelling test, message metrics and recipient sensitivity.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising attempting to recall a sent message.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a delay module adapted to allow entry of a delay before sending mode based on time and day information.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising a delay module adapted to enter a delay before sending mode based on sender input.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising a controller that requires a specific key sequence from the sender before sending the message.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the profile includes one or more of recipient information, metric information, and presence information.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the message is one of a text message, SMS (Short Message Service) communication, multimedia message, audio message, a video message, an instant message and a message including an image.