Presence-based mechanism to include visiting associates in location-specific email distribution lists

• US 8,510,472 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Burnham, Robert D., Doshi, Brijen, Love, Susan K., Anderson, Jeffrie D., Rishea, John V., Swanagon, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US11/862,384
• Time in Patent Office: 2,147 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709204-206, 709/245, 715753-759
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area

Abstract

The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for managing message distribution lists. More specifically, the message distribution list may be location-specific and the recipients listed in the list may be dynamically updated based on their detected presence with respect to a particular location. By dynamically updating a message distribution list based on presence information, recipients of the message can be provided with a greater assurance that the messages they receive are locally relevant.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor enabled server, presence information regarding presence activity of a first user in a first location and a second, different location;

determining, by the processor enabled server, that the first location is associated with a first electronic message group having a first electronic message group address, wherein the first electronic message group comprises a static portion and a dynamic portion, wherein the static portion comprises one or more electronic addresses associated with at least one intended recipient, wherein the one or more electronic address in the static portion are not altered;

determining, by the processor enabled server, a first electronic address associated with the first user;

determining, by the processor enabled server, that the first electronic address is not listed in the static portion; and

updating, by the processor enabled server, only the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group with the first electronic address associated with the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the presence information indicates that the first user is at the first location.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating a dynamic portion of a second electronic message group address, wherein the second electronic message group address is associated with the second location, wherein the first electronic message group address is not associated with the second location, and the second electronic message group address is not associated with the first location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein updating the dynamic portion of the second electronic message group address comprises removing the first electronic address associated with the first user from the second electronic message group address.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting a password associated with maintaining the first electronic message group address;

receiving a password from the first user;

determining that the password received from the first user equals the password associated with maintaining the first electronic message group address prior to updating the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

referencing permissions associated with the first user; and

updating the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address according to the permissions associated with the first user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the permissions associated with the first user define an amount of time that the first user would like to have the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address to be updated.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to send an electronic message to the at least one intended recipient;

determining that the at least one intended recipient includes the first electronic message group address; and

sending the electronic message to the recipients listed in the first electronic message group address.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

maintaining the electronic message in memory for a predetermined amount of time;

determining that the electronic message was sent to the recipients listed in the first electronic group address prior to the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address being updated;

retrieving the electronic message from memory after the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address has been updated; and

sending the electronic message to the first user.

10. A tangible, non-transit computer readable storage medium comprising processor executable instructions operable to perform the method of claim 1.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user is associated with the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address, wherein a second user is associated with the static portion of the first electronic message group address, and wherein both the first and second users are determined to be present at the second location.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a request to send an electronic message to the first electronic message group address;

sending the electronic message to the second user in response to determining that the second user is associated with the static portion of the first electronic message group address; and

failing to send the electronic message to the first user in response to determining that the first user is associated with the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group comprises a list of at least one user that may be excluded from the static portion of the first electronic message, and wherein the list of at least one user includes the second user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

updating the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group in response to determining that the second user is not present at the first location;

receiving a request to send an electronic message to the first electronic message group address; and

failing to send the electronic message to the first and second users.

15. A server, comprising:

a memory;

a processor in communication with the memory, the processor operable to execute a message distribution manager, the message distribution manager operable to;

receive presence information regarding presence activity of a first user in a first location and a second, different location;

determine that the first location is associated with a first electronic message group having a first electronic message group address, wherein the first electronic message group address comprises a static portion and a dynamic portion, wherein the static portion comprises one or more electronic addresses associated with at least one intended recipient, wherein the one or more electronic addresses in the static portion are not altered;

determine a first electronic address associated with the first user;

determine that the first electronic address is not listed in the static portion; and

update the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group with the first electronic address associated with the first user.

16. The server of claim 15, wherein the presence information indicates that the first user is at the first location.

17. The server of claim 16, wherein the message distribution manager is further operable to send notification that presence activity of the first user has been detected in the first location to a second message distribution manager associated with a second location such that the second message distribution manager can update a dynamic portion of a second electronic message group address, wherein the second electronic message group address is associated with the second location, wherein the first electronic message group address is not associated with the first location, and the second electronic message group address is not associated with the first location.

18. The server of claim 17, wherein the second message distribution manager is operable to update the dynamic portion of the second electronic message group address comprises removing the address associated with the first user from the second electronic message group address.

19. The server of claim 15, wherein the message distribution manager is further operable to:

request a password associated with maintaining the first electronic message group address;

receive a password from the first user; and

determine that the password received from the first user equals the password associated with maintaining the first electronic message group address prior to updating the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address.

20. The server of claim 15, wherein the message distribution manager is further operable:

reference permissions associated with the first user; and

update the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address according to the permissions associated with the first user, and wherein the permissions associated with the first user define an amount of time that the first user would like to have the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group addressed to be updated.

21. The server of claim 15, wherein the message distribution manager is further operable to

receive a request to send an electronic message to the at least one intended recipient;

determine that the at least one intended recipient includes the first electronic group address;

send the electronic message to the recipients listed in the first electronic group address;

maintain the electronic message in the memory for a predetermined amount of time;

determine that the electronic message was sent to the recipients listed in the first electronic group address prior to the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address being updated;

retrieve the electronic message from the memory after the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address has been updated; and

send the electronic message to the first user.

22. A communication system, comprising:

a presence device operable to detect presence activity of a first user;

a processor enabled electronic message server comprising;

a distribution list store, wherein the distribution list store comprises at least one group address, wherein the group address comprises a dynamic portion and a static portion; and

a message distribution manager wherein the message distribution manager is operable to;

receive presence information related to the detected presence activity of the first user; and

update the dynamic portion of the at least one group address based on the received presence information.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the message distribution manager is operable to update the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address by adding an address associated with the first user to the first electronic message group address.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the detected presence activity is associated with at least one of a first and second location, wherein the message distribution manager is further operable to send notification that presence activity of the first user has been detected in the first location to a second message distribution manager associated with a second location such that the second message distribution manager can update a dynamic portion of a second electronic message group address, wherein the second electronic message group address is associated with the second location that is different from the first location, wherein the first electronic message group address is not associated with the second location and wherein the second electronic message group address is not associated with the first location.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the second message distribution manager is operable to update the dynamic portion of the second electronic message group address comprises removing the address associated with the first user from the second electronic message group address.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the message distribution manager is operable to update the dynamic portion of the first electronic message group address by adding an address associated with the first user to the first electronic message group address.