Computer-implemented system and method for facilitating conversation within a group through heterogeneous message delivery

• US 8,316,095 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2010
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard Nugen, Roland E. Wheeler Jr, Shad Wheeler
• Original Assignee: Richard Nugen, Roland E. Wheeler Jr, Shad Wheeler
• Inventors: Wheeler, Roland E. Jr., Wheeler, Shad, Nugen, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Creighton
• Application Number:
  US12/795,558
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/230
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for facilitating conversation within a group through heterogeneous message delivery is provided. A conversation thread including messages shared by recipients collectively formed into a group is identified. The messages from one recipient are queued in an intermediate format pending delivery through type-specific message interfaces to the other recipients. A message type corresponding to each other recipient is determined. An identifier is formatted and each message'"'"'s content is structured from the intermediate format into the message type for the other recipients. The delivery of each message within the group is managed. First, the message is sent to the other recipients via the message interface corresponding to the message type of the other recipient. The delivery of the message is tracked by monitoring an acknowledgement of a receipt of the message. Last, an alternate message type is selected upon non-acknowledgment of message receipt by the other recipient.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for facilitating conversation within a group through heterogeneous message delivery, comprising:

a database comprising a conversation thread comprising a plurality of messages that are identified and shared by a plurality of recipients who are collectively formed into a group;

a queue to temporarily queue, for each recipient in the group, the messages from one such recipient in an intermediate format pending delivery through type-specific message interfaces to each of the other recipients of the conversation thread;

a shadowbox framework to manage the delivery of each message within the group, comprising;

a conversion module to determine a message type corresponding to each of the other recipients, and to format an identifier and structure the content of each message from the intermediate format into the message type for each of the other recipients;

a message aggregator to send the message to each of the other recipients via the message interface corresponding to the message type of the other such recipient;

a tracking module to track the delivery of the message by monitoring an acknowledgement of a receipt of the message by the other such recipient; and

a handling module to select an alternate message type upon non-acknowledgment of message receipt by the other such recipient.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an application to broadcast one or more of the messages in the conversation thread to all of the recipients in the group,

wherein the tracking module is further comprised to confirm the delivery of the one or messages, comprising one of;

a broadcast module to broadcast one of the acknowledgement and the non-acknowledgement of the message to all of the recipients; and

an acknowledgement module to send one of the acknowledgement and the non-acknowledgement of the message to the recipient that originated each such message.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the messages in the conversation thread are sent to less than all of the recipients in the group, and the tracking module is further comprised to confirm the delivery of the one or messages, comprising one of:

a broadcast module to broadcast one of the acknowledgement and the non-acknowledgement of the message to all of the recipients; and

an acknowledgement module to send one of the acknowledgement and the non-acknowledgement of the message to the recipient that originated each such message.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a set of handling rules that specify an order of selection of the alternate message type, wherein the alternate message type is limited to only those message types corresponding to the messages comprised in the conversation thread.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein those of the recipients in the group sharing a same message type are determined, and the identifier and the content of the messages exchanged between those recipients are maintained in lieu of the intermediate format.

6. A system according to claim 1, further wherein the message is encrypted during the delivery.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one such message type comprises a connection-oriented network protocol message, further comprising a connection-oriented network interface to open a data exchange session with the recipient, deliver the message to the recipient by transacting the data exchange session, and close the data exchange session to provide the receipt acknowledgement of the delivered message.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one such message type comprises a connectionless network protocol message, further comprising a connectionless network interface to communicate the message to the recipient, and to await one of an express acknowledgement and time out to provide the receipt acknowledgement of the delivered message.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein intermediate format comprises a logical overlay to transport and network protocol layers within a network infrastructure.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the network infrastructure is TCP/IP-compliant.

11. A computer-implemented system for facilitating conversation within a group through heterogeneous message delivery, comprising:

a database configured to store a conversation thread comprising a plurality of messages that are identified and shared by a plurality of recipients who are collectively formed into a group;

a queue configured to temporarily queue, for each recipient in the group, the messages from one such recipient in an intermediate format pending delivery through type-specific message interfaces to each of the other recipients of the conversation thread;

a shadowbox framework configured to manage the delivery of each message within the group, comprising;

a conversion module configured to determine a message type corresponding to each of the other recipients, and to format an identifier and structure the content of each message from the intermediate format into the message type for each of the other recipients;

a message aggregator configured to send the message to each of the other recipients via the message interface corresponding to the message type of the other such recipient;

a tracking module configured to track the delivery of the message by monitoring an acknowledgement of a receipt of the message by the other such recipient; and

a handling module configured to select an alternate message type upon non-acknowledgment of message receipt by the other such recipient.

12. A system according to claim 11, further comprising:

an application configured to broadcast one or more of the messages in the conversation thread to all of the recipients in the group; and

the tracking module further comprised to confirm the delivery of the one or messages, comprising one of;

a broadcast module configured to broadcast one of the acknowledgement and the non-acknowledgement of the message to all of the recipients; and

an acknowledgement module configured to send one of the acknowledgement and the non-acknowledgement of the message to the recipient that originated each such message.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein one or more of the messages in the conversation thread are sent to less than all of the recipients in the group, and the tracking module is further comprised to confirm the delivery of the one or messages, comprising one of:

a broadcast module configured to broadcast one of the acknowledgement and the non-acknowledgement of the message to all of the recipients; and

an acknowledgement module configured to send one of the acknowledgement and the non-acknowledgement of the message to the recipient that originated each such message.

14. A system according to claim 11, further comprising:

the database further configured to store a set of handling rules that specify an order of selection of the alternate message type,

wherein the alternate message type is limited to only those message types corresponding to the messages comprised in the conversation thread.

15. A system according to claim 11, wherein those of the recipients in the group sharing a same message type are determined, and the identifier and the content of the messages exchanged between those recipients are maintained in lieu of the intermediate format.

16. A system according to claim 11, further wherein the message is encrypted during the delivery.

17. A system according to claim 11, wherein at least one such message type comprises a connection-oriented network protocol message, further comprising:

a connection-oriented network interface configured to open a data exchange session with the recipient, deliver the message to the recipient by transacting the data exchange session, and close the data exchange session to provide the receipt acknowledgement of the delivered message.

18. A system according to claim 11, wherein at least one such message type comprises a connectionless network protocol message, further comprising:

a connectionless network interface configured to communicate the message to the recipient, and to await one of an express acknowledgement and time out to provide the receipt acknowledgement of the delivered message.

19. A system according to claim 11, wherein intermediate format comprises a logical overlay to transport and network protocol layers within a network infrastructure.

20. A system according to claim 11, wherein the network infrastructure is TCP/IP-compliant.