Computer-implemented system and method for delivery of group messages

• US 9,860,384 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellisist, Inc. dba Spoken Communications (Avaya Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Intellisist, Inc. dba Spoken Communications (Avaya Incorporated)
• Inventors: Odinak, Gilad
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US15/606,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20170264748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 221 Days
• Field of Search: 4555151, 455413, 455514, 455518, 455519, 455521, 379 68, 379 8816, 379 8817, 379 8809, 379 881, 379 8825, 379 8822
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/187 combining circuit and packet-switched, e.g. GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for delivering group messages is provided. Users that are signed-on to and signed-off from one or more discussion groups are tracked. A voice message is received from one of the users signed-on to one of the discussion groups. A list of users associated with the discussion group is obtained and a sublist of signed-on users including those users from the list that are signed-on to the discussion group is built. The voice message is provided to the signed-on users of the discussion group and a copy of the voice message is stored for later access by the users in the discussion group that are signed-off.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for delivering group messages, comprising:

a monitor module to track users that are signed-on to and signed-off from one or more discussion groups;

a voice message received from one of the users signed-on to one of the discussion groups;

a list of users associated with the discussion group;

a sublist of signed-on users comprising those users from the list that are signed-on to the discussion group;

a delivery module to provide the voice message to the signed-on users of the discussion group; and

a database to store a copy of the voice message for later access by the users in the discussion group that are signed-off.

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

a stored message delivery module to provide the stored copy of the voice message to the users that are signed-off upon signing in to the discussion group.

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

a communication module to identify a personal communication device associated with the signed-on users in the discussion group; and

the delivery module to deliver the voice message to the personal communication device of the signed-on users of the discussion group.

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

a message receipt module to receive from one of the signed-on users, a voice message in reply to the provided voice message.

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

a group identification module to identify additional discussion groups in which the signed-on user is also signed-on;

an instruction module to receive instructions from the signed-on user identifying the discussion group as the active discussion group; and

the delivery module to provide the voice message to only the signed-on users in the discussion group identified as active.

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

a data module to associate one or more of a user identification, a discussion group identification, a message identification, and a time-stamp with the voice message.

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

an encryption module to encrypt the voice message prior to providing the voice message to the signed-on users in the discussion group.

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

a group identification module to obtain an identification of the discussion group to which the voice message is provided upon receiving the voice message from the signed-on user; and

a queue module to deliver the voice message to a queue of the discussion group associated with the obtained identification.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the delivery module delivers the voice message to the signed-on users in the discussion group when the voice message is at a top of the queue.

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

a prior message module to obtain voice messages for one or more of the signed-on users that were delivered to the discussion group prior to sign-on by the one or more signed-on users; and

the delivery module to deliver the obtained messages to the one or more signed-on users.

11. A computer-implemented method for delivering group messages, comprising:

tracking users that are signed-on to and signed-off from one or more discussion groups;

receiving a voice message from one of the users signed-on to one of the discussion groups;

obtaining a list of users associated with the discussion group;

building a sublist of signed-on users comprising those users from the list that are signed-on to the discussion group;

providing the voice message to the signed-on users of the discussion group; and

storing a copy of the voice message for later access by the users in the discussion group that are signed-off.

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

providing the stored copy of the voice message to the users that are signed-off upon signing in to the discussion group.

13. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

identifying a personal communication device associated with each of the signed-on and signed-off users; and

delivering the voice message to the personal communication device of the signed-on users of the discussion group.

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

receiving from one of the signed-on users, a voice message in reply to the provided voice message.

15. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

identifying additional discussion groups in which the signed-on user is also signed-on;

receiving instructions from the signed-on user identifying the discussion group as the active discussion group; and

providing the voice message to only the signed-on users in the discussion group identified as active.

16. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

associating one or more of a user identification, a discussion group identification, a message identification, and a time-stamp with the voice message.

17. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

encrypting the voice message prior to providing the voice message to the signed-on users in the discussion group.

18. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

upon receiving the voice message from the signed-on user, obtaining an identification of the discussion group to which the voice message is to be provided; and

delivering the voice message to a queue of the discussion group associated with the obtained identification.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:

delivering the voice message to the signed-on users in the discussion group when the voice message is at a top of the queue.

20. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

for one or more of the signed-on users, obtaining voice messages delivered to the discussion group prior to sign-on by the one or more signed-on users; and

delivering the obtained messages to the one or more signed-on users.