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When-free messaging

  • US 8,086,672 B2
  • Filed: 06/30/2004
  • Issued: 12/27/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2000
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer system that facilitates conveying notifications, comprising:

  • at least one processor; and

    at least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and containing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, perform the following steps;

    receiving a message, wherein the message comprises a time-to-live (TTL) parameter that specifies a period of time the message is active;

    upon storing the message in a queue, determining an availability status of a recipient, wherein the availability status of the recipient comprises at least one of;

    a busy status and a free status; and

    upon determining that the availability status of the recipient is a busy status and determining that the message is active, selecting an appropriate action based on a recipient unavailable policy, the appropriate action comprising one or more of;

    sending an automated message to a sender of the message specifying an amount of time that the recipient will be busy;

    converting the message to an email thread and sending the email thread to an email inbox of the recipient;

    delivering the message to the recipient upon determining that the message satisfies an exception, wherein delivering the message comprises determining a most appropriate time during the period of time the message is active to deliver the message using one or more of;

    a statistical-based method, a probabilistic-based method, and a utility-based method; and

    executing the selected action; and

    upon determining that the availability status of the recipient is a free status and determining that the message is active, sending the message to the recipient.

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