System and method for enhanced message notification

• US 9,313,625 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2013
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Richardson, Simon James, Wuthnow, Mark Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US14/040,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20140031014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 926 Days
• Field of Search: 370259-271, 370351-357, 379 671- 8828, 379/201.01, 4554121-4262, 4554561-466, 4555501-560, 4555751-5759, 455 901- 903, 704270-278, 709201-207, 709217-248
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Enhanced message notification is provided by an enhanced notification function element and a subscriber preference profile database. The enhanced notification function element queries the subscriber preference profile database to obtain subscriber communication terminal capabilities information, which it uses to select a message notification technology. The enhanced notification function element may then format an enhanced notification that is delivered to a communication terminal through a delivery system architecture appropriate for the selected message notification technology. The enhanced notification may contain: a message type indicator; an identifier of the party leaving the message; a date and time that the message was deposited; multimedia objects; and other enhanced information. The enhanced notification function element may also query a terminal roaming status database in order to determine if the enhanced message should be sent when the terminal is roaming. The enhanced notification function element may also provide content adaptation for the enhanced notification.

Claims

1. A method, for delivering a message to a mobile terminal, comprising:

determining, by a system using a processor, in a roaming determination, whether the mobile terminal is roaming; and

determining, by the system, based on the roaming determination, in a message determination, whether to provide a traditional message or an enhanced message, comprising;

determining, in response to a negative result from the roaming determination, to provide the enhanced message; and

in response to an affirmative result from the roaming determination;

determining, in an acceptability determination, whether an applicable roaming service provider is an acceptable partner for delivering the enhanced message;

determining, in response to an affirmative result from the acceptability determination, to provide the enhanced message; and

determining, in response to a negative result from the acceptability determination, to provide the traditional message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the acceptability determination is based on a cost that the applicable roaming service provider charges for delivering enhanced messages.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the acceptability determination is based on whether the applicable roaming service is capable of delivering enhanced messages.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preparing, by the system, if it is determined in the message determination, to provide the traditional message, to provide the traditional message including formatting, in a traditional-message formatting operation, the traditional message; and

preparing, by the system, if it is determined in the message determination to provide the enhanced message, to provide the enhanced message including formatting, in an enhanced-message formatting operation, the enhanced message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the enhanced-message formatting operation comprises formatting the enhanced message to have a message type indicator indicating that the enhanced message is an enhanced notification and should be processed by an enhanced notification program.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the enhanced-message formatting operation comprises formatting the enhanced message to have a multimedia object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the enhanced-message formatting operation comprises formatting the enhanced message to include the multimedia object being associated with a party leaving a notification for a user of the mobile terminal.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the enhanced-message formatting operation comprises formatting the enhanced message to have the multimedia object including at least one object type selected from a group of object types consisting of:

an audio clip identifying a name of a party leaving a notification for a user of the mobile terminal;

a picture identifying the party;

a presence indicator associated with the party; and

an availability indicator associated with the party.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the message determination is made based on the roaming determination and on user preferences associated with the mobile terminal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the method further comprises obtaining information indicating whether the mobile terminal is roaming; and

the roaming determination is based on the information received.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein obtaining the information indicating whether the mobile terminal is roaming includes receiving the information from a roaming-terminal database.

12. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, for delivering a message to a mobile terminal, comprising;

determining, in a roaming determination, whether the mobile terminal is roaming; and

determining, based on the roaming determination, in a message determination, whether to provide a traditional message or an enhanced message, comprising;

determining, in response to a negative result from the roaming determination, to provide the enhanced message; and

in response to an affirmative result from the roaming determination;

determining, in an acceptability determination, whether an applicable roaming service provider is an acceptable partner for delivering the enhanced message;

determining, in response to an affirmative result from the acceptability determination, to provide the enhanced message; and

determining, in response to a negative result from the acceptability determination, to provide the traditional message.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the acceptability determination is based on a cost that the applicable roaming service provider charges for delivering enhanced messages.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the acceptability determination is based on whether the applicable roaming service is capable of delivering enhanced messages.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

preparing, if it is determined in the message determination, to provide the traditional message, to provide the traditional message including formatting, in a traditional-message formatting operation, the traditional message; and

preparing, if it is determined in the message determination to provide the enhanced message, to provide the enhanced message including formatting, in an enhanced-message formatting operation, the enhanced message.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the message determination is made based on the roaming determination and on user preferences associated with the mobile terminal.

17. A computer-readable storage device comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, for delivering a message to a mobile terminal, comprising:

determining, in a roaming determination, whether the mobile terminal is roaming; and

determining, based on the roaming determination, in a message determination, whether to provide a traditional message or an enhanced message, comprising;

determining, in response to a negative result from the roaming determination, to provide the enhanced message; and

in response to an affirmative result from the roaming determination;

determining, in an acceptability determination, whether an applicable roaming service provider is an acceptable partner for delivering the enhanced message;

determining, in response to an affirmative result from the acceptability determination, to provide the enhanced message; and

determining, in response to a negative result from the acceptability determination, to provide the traditional message.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the acceptability determination is based on a cost that the applicable roaming service provider charges for delivering enhanced messages.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the acceptability determination is based on whether the applicable roaming service is capable of delivering enhanced messages.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the message determination is made based on the roaming determination and on user preferences associated with the mobile terminal.