Message delivery control settings

• US 9,319,356 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2012
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Odell, James A., Bergstrom, Raine, Appelman, Barry, Wick, Andrew L., Keister, Alan, Yin, Xiaoyan, McNally, Barbara, Hullfish, Keith C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAROT, BHARAT
• Application Number:
  US13/620,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20130174060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,312 Days
• Field of Search: 709202-207, 709227-228
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks

Abstract

A graphical user interface on a display device of a computer enables communications using a computer service. The graphical user interface includes a list of potential message recipients selected by a user as significant to the user. The graphical user interface also includes a mobile device identifier associated with one or more of the listed potential message recipients and a user account identifier associated with one or more of the listed potential message recipients. At least one of the listed potential recipients includes a mobile device identifier as the only available conduit for data delivery to the potential message recipient using the computer service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining that a user is unavailable to receive electronic messages via a first communications system;

determining, by at least one processor, the user is available to receive electronic messages via a second communications system;

indicating, to users associated with the user via the first communications system, that the user is available to receive electronic messages via the first communications system despite the user being unavailable to receive electronic messages via the first communication system;

receiving a first type of electronic message addressed to be delivered to the user via the first communication system;

based on the user being available to receive electronic messages via the second communication system, generating, by the at least one processor, a second type of electronic message to contain content of the first type of electronic message; and

sending the second type of electronic message including the content of the first type of electronic message to the user via the second communication system.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first type of electronic message comprises an instant message.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the second type of electronic message comprises a Short Message Service message.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a first user identifier associated with the user, wherein the first type of electronic message was addressed to be delivered to the user using the first user identifier;

identifying a second user identifier linked to the first user identifier, wherein the second user identifier is associated with the user; and

addressing the second type of electronic message to the user using the second user identifier.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising forwarding the second type of electronic message to a wireless server.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the user, a specification of the control settings;

configuring the control settings in accordance with the received specification; and

associating the control settings with an account associated with the user.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising determining a mobile telephone number associated with the user, wherein the specification of the control settings received from the user indicates that the user desires to receive instant messages sent as text messages to the mobile telephone number associated with the user.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending the second type of electronic message to an additional user, wherein the control settings associated with the user were specified by the additional user.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control settings associated with the user comprise privacy control information.

10. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

determine that a user is unavailable to receive electronic messages via a first communications system;

determine the user is available to receive electronic messages via a second communications system;

indicate, to users associated with the user via the first communications system, that the user is available to receive electronic messages via the first communications system despite the user being unavailable to receive electronic messages via the first communication system;

receive a first type of electronic message addressed to be delivered to the user via the first communication system;

based on the user being available to receive electronic messages via the second communication system, generate a second type of electronic message to contain content of the first type of electronic message; and

sending the second type of electronic message including the content of the first type of electronic message to the user via the second communication system.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to convert the content of the first type of electronic message from a first format to a second format.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the first format and the second format comprise different character sets.

13. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the second type of electronic message comprises a Short Message Service message.

14. The system as recited in claim 10, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:

identify a first user identifier associated with the user, wherein the first type of electronic message was addressed to be delivered to the user using the first user identifier;

identify a second user identifier linked to the first user identifier, wherein the second user identifier is associated with the user; and

address the second type of electronic message to the user using the second user identifier.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the first user identifier comprises a screen name and the second user identifier comprises a mobile telephone number.

16. The system as recited in claim 10, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive, from the user, a specification of the control settings;

configure the control settings in accordance with the received specification; and

associate the control settings with an account associated with the user.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to determine a mobile telephone number associated with the user, wherein the specification of the control settings received from the user indicates that the user desires to receive instant messages sent as text messages to the mobile telephone number associated with the user.

18. The system as recited in claim 10, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to send the second type of electronic message to an additional user, wherein the control settings associate with the user were specified by the additional user.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to:

determine that a user is unavailable to receive electronic messages via a first communications system;

determine the user is available to receive electronic messages via a second communications system;

indicate, to users associated with the user via the first communications system, that the user is available to receive electronic messages via the first communications system despite the user being unavailable to receive electronic messages via the first communication system;

receive a first type of electronic message addressed to be delivered to the user via the first communication system;

based on the user being available to receive electronic messages via the second communication system, generate, by the at least one processor, a second type of electronic message to contain content of the first type of electronic message; and

send the second type of electronic message including the content of the first type of electronic message to the user via the second communication system.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 19, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:

receive, from the user, a specification of the control settings;

configure the control settings in accordance with the received specification; and

associate the control settings with an account associated with the user.